title: Effect of Maternal Body Mass Index on Infant Breastfeeding Behaviors and Exclusive Direct Breastfeeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the effect of maternal body mass index (BMI) on infant breastfeeding behaviors (poor, steady, vigorous) and the transition of the mother-infant dyad to exclusive, direct breastfeeding during the first month of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal descriptive investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary-level southeastern medical center and follow-up telephone calls.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixteen healthy, racially diverse, breastfeeding mother-infant dyads (77 full-term and 39 late-preterm infants).
  
  
  METHODS
  Breastfeeding outcomes were classified as exclusive direct or partially breastfed. The effect of maternal BMI was compared to results from weekly mother's reports of infant breastfeeding behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant breastfeeding differences were observed based on maternal BMI and infant gestational age. Mothers with BMIs greater than 25 who described their infants as a vigorous breastfeeders were less likely to exclusively direct breastfeed (p < .002). Only 40% of mother-infant dyads had exclusive direct breastfeeding at any time point or gestational age with no significant increase at any time point after discharge. The BMIs of the woman made no difference in exclusive direct breastfeeding full-term infants compared to late-preterm infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal BMI had limited negative influence on exclusive direct breastfeeding during the first 4 weeks after discharge. Mothers should be educated that many infants need 3 to 4 weeks after discharge to learn how to breastfeed, infant feeding demands change during this time, and this time is important to the infant's neurologic and overall development.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Judge
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sajdlowska
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brandon
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D000068097:Maternal Health; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: BMI; body mass index; breastfeeding; breastfeeding duration; exclusive direct breastfeeding; exclusively breastfeeding; infant behavior; infant breastfeeding behavior; lactation; maternal BMI; pregnancy