The formal preparation of expectant mothers for breastfeeding is not part of routine antenatal care in many practices. We feel that it may prove beneficial especially in an environment with a low prevalence of breastfeeding. The aim of this trial is to demonstrate the impact of single-encounter antenatal education combining educational material with individual instruction, on breastfeeding initiation and duration and on infant feeding practice, compared with routine antenatal care and educational material alone in a tertiary hospital setting.