Whether Mother Will Breastfeed Determined by Nursing Support System

Many women may have an over abundance of breast milk after their child is born. However, some may not have enough, and are in constant worry about how they are going to properly feed their child.

A new study shows that support from other women to overcome their doubts regarding lactation may help provide hope and education for other mothers encountering the same difficulties. 

According to researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada, they studied new moms who were weaning their infants early instead of feeding them just breast milk for the first six months of life.

"Women's attitudes towards breastfeeding even before the baby is born can predict whether or not moms are going to breastfeed, so it is important that everything from the home environment to public spaces supports nursing moms," said Anna Famer, an associate professor in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science and the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, via a press release. "We need to address their concerns and misconceptions about breastfeeding, especially young first-time mothers."

Farmer and colleagues surveyed 402 pregnant women for three months postpartum. Three hundred of the participants were also studied again at the six-month mark, and found that though almost 99 percent of the women started breastfeeding their babies, only 54 percent were still exclusively breastfeeding three months after they gave birth. This number dropped again to 15 percent by six months in line with the national average, according to background information from the study.

Results also showed that approximately 54 percent of women had neutral attitudes regarding their attitudes towards breastfeeding and 53 percent of the mothers who fed their infants formula during the first sixth months after birth also had the same feeling. Along with this, findings showed that half of the women in the study stopped breastfeeding because of their perceptions of milk inadequacy.

Education also played a role regarding whether a woman would breastfeed and for how long. For example, 37 percent of the participants were more likely to breastfeed exclusively for six months as opposed to those without a degree.

The study authors hope that this information may prompt policy revision for nursing rooms in public facilities.

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More information regarding the study findings can be found in BMC Pediatrics.