title: Breastfeeding practice in Kuwait: determinants of success and reasons for failure.
abstract: To explore the possible determinants of duration of breastfeeding in Kuwait, 234 mothers completed a questionnaire concerning the feeding of their youngest infant. The questionnaire addressed the factors that contributed to their willingness to continue breastfeeding and enquired about the factors leading to their decision to end it. Only 26.5% of the mothers had continued breastfeeding for 6 months or more. Separate family housing, higher maternal age, late initiation of breastfeeding, being employed without the feasibility to breastfeed at work, breastfeeding information given after rather than before birth, and maternal and infant sickness were all significant contributors influencing early cessation. Father's support was a significant factor that encouraged the practice. In conclusion, preventive strategies are recommended for boosting breastfeeding, with special emphasis on the factors linked to early cessation, aiming at full implementation of the WHO global public health recommendations for successful breastfeeding in Kuwait.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Kader
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Al-Refaee
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Al Adan Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Dhafiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Al Adan Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabr
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Al Adan Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Qattan
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007730:Kuwait; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors