title: Influence of peers on breastfeeding discontinuation among new parents: the Melbourne InFANT Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate whether the proportion of breastfeeding mothers in first-time parent groups influenced the likelihood of ceasing breastfeeding and whether this was independent of socioeconomic position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from 501 mothers (from 62 first-time parent groups initiated approximately 6 weeks after birth) who provided data at the baseline and mid-intervention assessments of the Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity, and Nutrition Trial. Parent groups were divided into those in which <or=25% of mothers had ceased breastfeeding by 6 weeks (low-cessation groups) and those in which >25% had ceased by 6 weeks (high-cessation groups).
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the exclusion of mothers who had already ceased breastfeeding by 6 weeks, the proportion of mothers who ceased breastfeeding between the time of parent group initiation (6 weeks) and 6 months was higher in high-cessation groups than in low-cessation groups (37.4% vs 21.7%; P=.001). After adjustment for maternal age, BMI, employment, and education and area-level socioeconomic position, membership in a group in which a large proportion of mothers had ceased breastfeeding by 6 weeks was strongly related to cessation of breastfeeding before 6 months (odds ratio: 2.1 [95% confidence interval: 1.3-3.3]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attendance at parent groups where peers are breastfeeding infants of a similar age may have an important influence on the continuation of breastfeeding to 6 months. First-time parent groups or other similar groups may be an important setting in which to promote the continuation of breastfeeding.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. adrian.cameron@deakin.edu.au
authors.forename: Adrian James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hesketh
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors