Search

Background: Returning to work after childbirth is a common reason for women to stop breastfeeding. This study aimed to assess breastfeeding practices and breastfeeding support available to employed women in China, and factors affecting breastfeeding duration. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1,243 breastfeeding women employed full-time was conducted. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the factors that are associated with breastfeeding. Results: The mean exclusive breastfeeding duration and any breastfeeding duration of full-time employed women were 5.7 ± 0.5 months and 9.8 ± 1.5 months, respectively. The total WBSS score was 46.6 ± 5.3 (M ± SD). Generally, women perceived coworkers (M [ SD ] = 4.8 [1.0]) and supervisors (M [ SD ] = 5.7 [1.2]) to be supportive of breastfeeding. Lower scores on the WBSS were related to lack of technical and facility support, indicating no access to a refrigerator to store breast milk (M [ SD ] = 2.0 [1.5]) or to a breast pump (M [ SD ] = 1.7 [1.7]). Similarly, a private area for expressing breast milk (M [ SD ] = 1.4 [1.0]) was unavailable. Maternity leave, residential province, ethnicity, education level, average monthly household income, main reason for stopping exclusive breastfeeding, commute time greater than 1 hour, and the total WBSS score were also factors influencing breastfeeding duration of the full-time employed women. Conclusions: There were gaps in breastfeeding practices and workplace breastfeeding support of Chinese full-time employed women when compared with the World Health Organization recommendations. Occupational health providers should consider these findings when developing programs to support breastfeeding in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have investigated influencing factors of early discontinuation of breastfeeding, but few studies have developed an easy‐to‐use tool to identify risk of breastfeeding cessation at 6 months after birth. This research team aimed to develop and validate an exclusive breastfeeding duration risk nomogram in Chinese mothers. A longitudinal cohort survey was conducted. Data were collected from 394 postpartum women in three hospitals in Hubei Province, China from December 2017 to December 2018. The LASSO regression model was used to screen for optimized factors in an exclusive breastfeeding duration model. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to construct a prediction model. Discrimination and calibration were assessed using a C‐index and calibration curve, and internal validity was established using bootstrapping validation. Factors integrated in the prediction risk nomogram were monthly household income (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.95, 1.80]), experiences of breastfeeding (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: [0.92, 1.63]), attitude (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: [0.94, 3.16]), self‐efficacy (OR = 2.45, 95% CI: [1.40, 4.29]), perceived insufficient milk supply (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: [0.06, 0.25]) and postpartum depression (OR = 0.06, 95% CI: [0.02, 0.17]). The model displayed good discrimination with a C‐index of 0.87 (95% CI: [0.84, 0.91]) and good calibration. The C‐index interval validation was confirmed to be 0.86. This study resulted in the development of a novel nomogram with good accuracy to aid healthcare professionals in assessing the probability of a mother discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding at the breast before 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The relationship between prior breastfeeding experience and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding is of significant interest, but few studies have explored the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The purpose of this study is to address two hypotheses: (a) that attitude and self‐efficacy mediate the relationship between previous breastfeeding experience and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding; and (b) that attitude and self‐efficacy have serial mediation functions in this relationship. Methods: The data collection process was divided into two stages. The original stage included 394 women hospitalized after delivery who completed socio‐demographic questionnaires (including previous breastfeeding experience), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and the Breastfeeding Self‐efficacy Short‐Form Scale (BSES‐SF). Follow‐up data about duration of exclusive breastfeeding were obtained at six months postpartum. Results: Mediation analysis indicated that previous breastfeeding experience directly affected the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and that the rate of the total indirect effect was 22.878%. Self‐efficacy mediated previous breastfeeding experience and duration of exclusive breastfeeding, whereas attitude and self‐efficacy played the series mediational role between previous breastfeeding experience and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Cluster analysis supported these results. Conclusions: The duration of exclusive breastfeeding can be promoted by improving breastfeeding attitude and self‐efficacy in women without breastfeeding experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]