The Association between the Type of Delivery and Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice among Polish Women—A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The type of delivery influences breastfeeding, both in terms of initiation and duration. The aim of the study was to determine the association between the type of delivery and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice among Polish women. Data on sociodemographic variables, pre-pregnancy weight, height, course of pregnancy, type of delivery and duration of breastfeeding were collected using a Computer-Assisted Web Interview. Of the 1024 breastfeeding women who participated in the study, 59.9% gave birth vaginally and 40.1% gave birth by caesarean section. The chance of starting EBF [OR: 0.478; 95% Cl: 0.274, 0.832] and continuing it for four months [OR: 0.836; 95% Cl: 0.569, 0.949] was lower in the case of caesarean delivery. Starting EBF was negatively affected by pre-pregnancy overweight status and obesity in the case of caesarean delivery. EBF practice for four months was negatively affected by age [18–24 years and 25–34 years], elementary education and average income [2001–4000 PLN] in the case of caesarean delivery. A negative impact on the chance of EBF for six months was also observed for younger age [18–24 years], elementary and secondary education and average income [2001–4000 PLN] in the case of caesarean delivery. There was no association between starting EBF and age, net income, place of living, pregnancy complications or the child′s birth weight category in the case of both subgroups, as well as between education and previous pregnancies in the case of vaginal delivery. These results suggest that women who deliver by caesarean section need additional breastfeeding support.

Breastfeeding duration is associated with larger cortical gray matter volumes in children from the ABCD study

“…At the same time, infants receiving skin‐to‐skin contact seem to have larger global GM volumes in young adulthood (Charpak et al., 2022), less behavioral problems at 3 years of age (Rheinheimer, Beijers, Bruinhof, Cooijmans, & de Weerth, 2022), and an attenuated response to stress and better executive functions at 10 (Feldman, Rosenthal, & Eidelman, 2014), compared with controls. Other factors related to the social circumstances of the family and to the parents themselves, such as higher socioeconomic status and higher maternal education level, have also been associated with increased breastfeeding duration (Lechosa‐Muñiz et al., 2020; Temple Newhook et al., 2017; Tracz & Gajewska, 2020) and less psychopathological levels in childhood (Peverill et al., 2021). It is also important to mention other factors, not necessarily associated with breastfeeding duration, that may greatly impact brain development, namely events and experiences during childhood.…”

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding during postpartum in Lanzhou city, China: a cross-sectional study

“…Based on previous studies in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Area ( 9 – 12 ), Middle East ( 13 – 15 ), Europe ( 16 – 18 ) and the North and South Americas ( 19 – 21 ), we found a wide range of factors at individual, cultural, health facility, and socioeconomic levels. However, the effects of some factors sometimes reached contradictory conclusions ( 2 ).…”

Determinants of delayed onset of lactogenesis II among women who delivered via Cesarean section at a tertiary hospital in China: a prospective cohort study

“…Previous studies have found that infants of mothers with DOLII experience excessive weight loss (> 10% of birthweight) and therefore often receive formula supplementation [ 8 , 9 ]. Furthermore, women who experience DOLII are at high risk of premature discontinuation of lactation and shorter duration of breastfeeding [ 10 , 11 ].…”