Relationship between prenatal infant feeding intention and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: a cohort study

Abstract

Donath SM, Amir LH, ALSPAC Study Team. The relationship between prenatal infant feeding intention and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: a cohort study. Acta Paediatr 2003; 92: 352-356. Stockholm. ISSN 0803-5253 Aim: To report the relationship between maternal prenatal intention to breastfeed and the actual initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Methods: Pregnant women resident within Avon, UK, expected to give birth between 1 April 1991 and 31 December 1992 were recruited in a longitudinal cohort study. Main outcome measures included maternal infant feeding intention (breastfeed, breast and bottle feed, bottle feed, or uncertain) at 32 wk of pregnancy; intention in the first week, intention for the rest of the first month and intention in months 2 to 4; initiation and duration of breastfeeding up to six months. Results: Data were available on 10 548 women. Prenatal intention to breastfeed had an influence on both initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Of the women intending to bottle feed from birth, only 3.4% initiated breastfeeding compared with 96.6% of women planning to breastfeed for at least four months. At six months postpartum, the mean duration of breastfeeding for women intending to breastfeed for at least five months was 4.4 mo (95% CI 4.3, 4.4), compared with 2.5 mo (95% CI 2.4, 2.6) for women with a prenatal intention to breastfeed for only one month. Logistic regression, using intended duration as the only explanatory variable, correctly predicted 91.4% of breastfeeding initiation and 72.2% of infant feeding at six months. Conclusions:This large population-based study confirms the strength of the relationship between maternal prenatal intention to breastfeed and both breastfeeding initiation and duration. Maternal intention was a stronger predictor than the standard demographic factors combined. This should be taken into account in future research, and trials should be undertaken to establish whether interventions could alter maternal intention and thereby increase rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Predictors of Breastfeeding Intention in Malaysia

“…Though 39.9 % of the mothers were first-time mothers with no experience in breastfeeding, their early decision would pose a positive outcome in breastfeeding. A study by Donath & Amir had shown that the time intended to breastfeed was important in predicting breastfeeding initiation and duration (Donath & Amir, 2003). There was also found no difference in intended to breastfeed by BMI categories (p = 0.226), nevertheless, more than half of the mothers who had the intention to breastfeed were normal BMI (51.6 %).…”

“…Mothers who had positive breastfeeding intention prenatally was linked to the longer duration of breastfeeding (Wang, Lau, Chow, and Chan, 2014) and prenatal intention appears to be significant predictors of breastfeeding initiation and duration (Donath and Amir, 2003).…”

“…Breastfeeding intention was significantly associated with positive breastfeeding attitudes, older age, greater years of education, being housewives, having a partner and family support for breastfeeding and grandmothers' breastfeeding experience. These factors should be considered when planning for further interventions in promoting exclusive breastfeeding in Malaysia.In summary, having an intention to breastfeed during prenatal has significantly contributed to positive attitudes towards breastfeeding among mothers as well as providing an influence on both initiation and duration of breastfeeding (Al-Akour, Amir and Donath, 2007;Donath and Amir, 2003). Mothers who had positive breastfeeding intention prenatally was linked to the longer duration of breastfeeding (Wang, Lau, Chow, and Chan, 2014) and prenatal intention appears to be significant predictors of breastfeeding initiation and duration (Donath and Amir, 2003).…”

“…Infants who were not breastfeeding may expose to higher risks of infectious morbidity, as well as associated with increased risks of childhood obesity, leukemia, type I and II diabetes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDs) (Stuebe, 2009). Breastfeeding intention is a significant predictor of positive breastfeeding outcomes, having an intention to breastfeed linked to early initiation and longer duration of breastfeeding (Donath & Amir, 2003;Mitra, Khoury, Hinton, & Carothers, 2004;Tarrant, Younger, Sheridan-Pereira, White, & Kearney, 2010a). Intention is an immediate precursor of behaviour and is defined as the perception of an individual towards performance of a particular behaviour (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980).…”

Les facteurs associés à un allaitement maternel prolongé au-delà de trois mois : une revue de la littérature

“…Le désir prénatal d'allaiter ou de ne pas allaiter prédit en grande partie le comportement de la mère après la naissance de l'enfant [20]. Ainsi, l'intention prénatale d'allaiter de manière prolongée est significativement associée à un allaitement prolongé [9,10,21].…”