Abstract
Objective:
To test whether perception of insufficient milk (PIM) supply in the breast-feeding relationship of one child predicts how long mothers breast-feed subsequent children, and whether this association differs for first-time mothers v. mothers with previous children.
Design:
Secondary analysis of Infant Feeding Practices Study II (ordinary least squares regression) and Year 6 follow-up.
Setting:
Mailed, self-report survey of US mother–infant dyads, 2005–2012.
Participants:
Women pregnant with a singleton were recruited from a consumer opinion panel. Exclusion criteria included: mother age <18; infant born <5 lbs, born before 35 weeks or with extended NICU stay, and mother or infant diagnosed with condition that impacts feeding. A subsample with PIM data (n 1460) was analysed.
Results:
We found that women who weaned because of PIM with the index child stopped breast-feeding 5·7 weeks earlier than those who weaned due to other reasons (4·9 weeks earlier for multiparas, P < 0·001; 7·1 weeks earlier for primiparas, P < 0·001). Using Year 6 follow-up data (n 350), we found subsequent child 1 weaned 9·2 weeks earlier if the mother experiences PIM as a multipara (P = 0·020) and 10·6 weeks earlier if the mother experiences PIM as a primipara (P = 0·019). For subsequent child 2 (n 78), the magnitude of association was even larger, although insignificant due to low power.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate that PIM may carry forward in the reproductive life course, especially for first-time mothers. Perceptions of breast milk insufficiency and contributors to actual inadequate milk supply with the first child should be targeted, rather than intervening later in the reproductive life course.
Trajectories and predictors of alcohol consumption over 21 years of mothers׳ reproductive life course
