Breast Feeding Failure of Last Pregnancy in Pregnant Women at Ratchaburi Maternal and Child Hospital

Abstract

          The objective of this study was to explain the failure rate of breast feeding in the gestation before this pregnancy. The study was survey research and the samples were collected by the pregnant who already had son or daughter less than 5 years in the Ante-natal clinic of Maternal and child hospital, Ratchaburi province during April 2000 to February 2002.

          659 Pregnant women were interviewed by questionnaire. Data were collected and analyzed and the statistics to be used was percentage. The results found the failure rate of breast feeding was 51.14 (percent (322 in 659 cases). 572 cases (86.8%) were breast feeding and only 322 in 572 cases were succeeded in breast feeding (breast feeding more than 4 months) 64 cases (9.71%) were partially breast feeding (Breast feeding combine with formular milk) and 23 cases (3.49%) were not breast fed. The most. common reasons for stopping breast feeding in the group of breast feeding and partial breast feeding were return to work (61.54% and 76.56% respectively). 2.58%  of the pregnant women were not educated for breast feeding. The study suggests that education about breast feeding to the pregnant women can reduce the failure rate of breast feeding.