Factors Influencing a 6 – Month Exclusive Breastfeeding Period in Working Mothers
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Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the predictive power of income, education, attitude, breastfeeding support, length of maternity leave, and work hours on the 6-month exclusive breastfeeding in the working mothers.
Design: Predictive research design.
Methods: The sample consisted of 182 working mothers having an infant aged between 6 months to 1 year who visited the well-baby clinics at Saraburi Hospital, Phraphutthabat Hospital, and King Narai Hospital. Data were collected using the demographic characteristics interview, the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), the Perceived Breastfeeding Support Assessment Tool (PBSAT), and the infant feeding interview form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.
Main finding: It is revealed that income, education, attitude, breastfeeding support, length of maternity leave, and work hours altogether could explain 43.9% of the variance in the success of 6-month exclusive breastfeeding in the working mothers (R2 = .439, p < .05). Only two factors that could predict the 6-month exclusive breastfeeding in the working mothers with the statistical significance were attitude (OR = 1.149, 95%CI = 1.075, 1.228, p < .001) and length of maternity leave (OR = 2.903, 95%CI = 1.327, 6.350, p = .008).
Conclusion and recommendations: Attitude and length of maternity leave have influence on success of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months in the working mothers. It is suggested that the healthcare providers especially nurses should promote the positive attitude towards breastfeeding to the mothers and their families. Policies should be enforced to encourage breastfeeding in the working postpartum mothers and to increase a maternity leave for more than 90 days.
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