Factors influencing the initiation and progress of breastfeeding in Greece.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate and assess the factors associated with the initiation, progress, and duration of breastfeeding in Greece.


METHODS
We studied 1,010 infants born from 862 women from 1996 to 2000 in 17 hospitals. We followed the mothers for the period January-October 2001, while they were at the maternity hospitals to give birth to their next child.


RESULTS
Statistical analysis of the data showed that factors positively associated with the duration of breast-feeding were the application of rooming-in (p = 0.0001), the initiation time of breast-feeding--mainly one to six hours after delivery (p = 0.0004), natural delivery (p = 0), pleasant delivery (p = 0.0142), the time the decision about breastfeeding was taken (p = 0), the fact that it was mainly a maternal decision and the mothers were not influenced by a specific person (p = 0.0272) and the fact that no mixed diet was administered (p = 0). Smoking was negatively associated with the duration of breastfeeding (p = 0.0036). Factors not associated with the duration of breastfeeding were: number of the mother's family members (p = 0.1231), whether the women themselves were breastfed as babies (p = 0.03924), some elements of their personality (p = 0.3871) as well as their beliefs concerning maternal milk (p = 0.1922).


CONCLUSIONS
From our results we have indications as to which factors are related or unrelated to the initiation and progress of breastfeeding in Greece.
Daglas
M
M
Department of Midwifery, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece.
Antoniou
E
E
Pitselis
G
G
Iatrakis
G
G
Kourounis
G
G
Creatsas
G
G
D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003657:Decision Making; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors