title: Predictors of the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among first-time mothers.
abstract: Few women currently meet revised WHO recommendations to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months postpartum. In this prospective study we aimed to determine the influence of socio-demographic, psychosocial, and perinatal factors on the length of exclusive breastfeeding among 189 Canadian primiparous mothers. A majority of the participants did not meet their exclusive breastfeeding goals, and only 5% breastfed exclusively for a full 6 months. Breastfeeding self-efficacy, in-hospital formula supplementation, prenatal class attendance, and type of delivery independently predicted exclusive breastfeeding duration. Findings underscore the complex interplay of factors influencing breastfeeding, highlight the early postpartum weeks as a critical period for the establishment of exclusive breastfeeding, and suggest the need for a continuum of pre- and postnatal strategies for prolonging the exclusive breastfeeding period.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, McGill University, 3506 University St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semenic
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loiselle
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula; D033182:Intention; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011792:Quebec; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors