Effect of WeChat follow-up education on breastfeeding efficiency of infants after congenital cardiac surgery and parents' satisfaction: A short-term follow-up study

Aim This study aimed to investigate the impact of WeChat follow-up education on infants' breastfeeding efficiency after congenital cardiac surgery and parents' satisfaction. Methods A prospective study was conducted in a provincial hospital in China. Sixty participants were divided into two groups: 30 participants in the study group received WeChat follow-up health education, and 30 participants in the control group received postoperative routine nursing education for infants after congenital cardiac surgery. The infants' breastfeeding efficiency, parents' satisfaction and relevant clinical data were recorded and analysed. Results After the WeChat follow-up intervention, the breastfeeding efficacy score, the parents' satisfaction score and the exclusive breastfeeding rate in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of feeding intolerance, abdominal distension, dyspeptic diarrhoea, weight gain or recurrent vomiting between the two groups during the 3-month follow-up period. Conclusion WeChat education can improve infants' breastfeeding efficiency after congenital cardiac surgery and can improve parents' satisfaction and exclusive breastfeeding rate during the short-term follow-up period.