[Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Initiate or Sustain Breastfeeding among Spanish Women].
OBJECTIVE
Breastfeeding for its multiple benefits is the best cost-effective health intervention and should be a public health priority. The aim of this study was to determine motivations and barriers perceived by mothers to initiate or to maintain breastfeeding.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, observational study was carried in 2013 out among 569 mothers resident in Spain, with children under the age of 2, who completed a structured questionnaire. A two-stage sampling, stratified by Autonomous Communities and non-probabilistic within each community was used.


RESULTS
88% of the mothers were breastfeeding their children or had breastfed. At the time of the survey 66.6% had stopped breastfeeding, and the average age for weaning was 6.4 (SD 3.8) months. The main reason for stopping breastfeeding was maternal perceptions of insufficient milk supply (29%). The second reason was going back to work (18%). 67% of the mothers said that they made the decision to breastfeed on their own. The main disadvantages reported were: the difficulty to reconcile breastfeeding and work (43%), breastfeeding in public places (39%), more frequent nighttime awakenings (62%) and the reduced weight gain of the baby (29%). Going back to work was the main reason for choosing formula feeding (34%) and also for initiating partial breastfeeding (39%).


CONCLUSIONS
The main disadvantages reported were: the difficulty to reconcile breastfeeding and work, breastfeeding in public places, more frequent nighttime awakenings and the reduced weight gain of the baby. Going back to work was the main reason for choosing formula feeding and also for initiating partial breastfeeding.
Universidad de La Laguna. Faculta de Ciencias de la Salud. Sección de Medicina, Enfermería y Fisioterapia. Campus de Ciencias de la Salud. Ofra. La Laguna. Tenerife.nmdiaz@ull.es.
Marta
M
Díaz-Gómez
Universidad de Murcia. Facultad de Enfermería. Edificio 23, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Murcia.
María
M
Ruzafa-Martínez
Hospital Universitario La Paz. Servicio de Neonatología.
Susana
S
Ares
Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. Dirección General de Salud Pública, Calidad e Innovación. Subdirección General de Calidad y Cohesión.
Isabel
I
Espiga
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Servicio de Neonatología.
Concepción
C
De Alba
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010465:Perception; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000072358:Work-Life Balance
Breastfeeding; Mothers; Peripartum Period; Spain; Weaning; Women; Women, Working