[Effect of exercise on quality of sleep in post-partum women]

Rapid changes experienced after child birth expose mothers to unpleasant experiences such as disturbances in sleep pattern. These experiences threaten health of mothers and infants. Some studies have shown that exercise can be an effective and nonpharmacologic method in improving sleep quality. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise on sleep quality among postpartum mothers. This was a randomized clinical trial. Eighty primiparous women aged 18-35 years were recruited from health centers in Rafsanjan in 2009. The inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancy, lack of any acute and chronic physical and mental illnesses, having healthy and term babies, and having vaginal deliveries. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention [n=40] and control [n=40] groups. Women in the intervention group received five 30-minutes sessions of Pilates weekly for eight weeks. The PSQI instrument was used to measure the related variables at baseline, forth and eighth weeks after the deliveries. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures ANOVA. Significant improvement was seen in the intervention group within eight weeks follow-up; the interaction within time and group was significant [P=0.02]. Comparison of mean sleep quality between the two groups has shown that the intervention was effective [P<0.001]. The Pilates exercise was effective in improving quality of sleep in postpartum period

[Predictors of home smoking ban in households in pregnant women]

Objective: Smoking bans reduce exposure to tobacco smoke. The aim of this study was to assess home smoking ban and associated factors among Iranian pregnant women

Methods: This investigation was designed as a cross-sectional study. Pregnant women [n=1232] attending public hospitals and health centers in Tehran were randomly recruited between March and July 2009 in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire was completed through a face-to-face interview. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses determined factors associated with home smoking ban

Results: Prevalence of complete home smoking ban was 31.5%. A smoker family member [OR=1.96, 95%CI: 1.50-2.56] and the belief that secondhand smoke harm the fetus [cigarette, OR=0.24, 95%CI: 0.17-0.34], [waterpipe, OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.33-0.63] were related to home smoking ban

Conclusions: More than half the pregnant women have no complete smoking ban in their home, and it is associated with smoker family members and the beliefs of pregnant women

[Effect of telephone counseling on continuity and duration of breastfeeding among primiparus women]

Breast milk provides many healthy nutrients to infants. Support provided by health care provider has positive effects on duration of breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of telephone counseling on continuity and duration of breastfeeding among primiparus women. This clinical trial was conducted on 140 primiparus women referred to the selected health centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2010. The participants were randlomly allocated into two equal groups [each: 70 indviduals]. The participants in the intervention group received telephone counseling by one of the researchers. The control group received routine care. Data were collected using a questionnaire including demographic characteristics and a breastfeeding check list. Exclusive breastfeeding rates were recorded one and three months after childbirth in both groups. Also, the continuity and duration of exclusive breastfeeding were recored three months after childbirth in both groups. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, standard logistic regression and linear regression in the SPSS-16 and the Win Pepi. The average duration of exclusive breastfeeding in the intervention group [8.05 +/- 3.99] was significantly more than the control group [6.23 +/- 4.03] [P=0.008]. In the third month of delivery, continuity of exclusive breastfeeding in the intervention group was more than the control group [P=0.03]. Results also showed that telephone counseling was effective in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding [P=0.02]. Telephone counseling was effective in continuity and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Using this inexpensive and easy method can help to increase exclusive breastfeeding, especially in primiparus women

comparative study of the effect of massage with sunflower oil or sesame oil on infants5 crying and sleep times: a randomized clinical trial

Infants are very sensitive and special attention is needed to take care of their physical and mental health. Some studies showed that massage by parents can improve infants' sleep quality. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of massage with sunflower oil or sesame oil on infants' crying and sleep times. This triple-blinded clinical trial was conducted on 120 infants who were 10-15 days old, full-term, single, exclusively breastfed and with no history of hospitalization. The infants were assigned randomly into three groups of sunflower oil massage, sesame oil massage and massage with no oils. Mothers administered 15 minutes of massage to their infants twice per day [morning and afternoon] for 28 days. Times of crying and sleep were measured by a parents' information form at baseline, and at the end of the first, second, third, and fourth weeks of the study. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures ANOVA. Within four weeks of following, decreasing pattern of infants crying time was not significant [P=0.18]; however, the mean of crying time between the three groups was significant [P=0.007]. The interaction effect of crying time and groups was not significant [P=0.18]. Increasing pattern of infant sleep time was statistically significant in the fourth weeks of the following [P<0.001]; however, the mean of sleep time between three groups was not significant [P<0.56]. The interaction effect of sleeping time and groups was not significant [P<0.10]. Since there were not statistical significant differences between the infants' crying and sleep times between the three groups, and despite the fact that increasing pattern of infants sleep time is a normal pattern, it is not possible to have a proper conclusion