Why Do Women Stop After Successfully Breastfeeding for 3 Months?

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify potential maternal demographics and infant characteristics associated with breastfeeding termination after 3 months. The study focused on personal and social factors contributing to breastfeeding success. Subjects: Women (n= 121) who had already participated in a previous research were asked to complete an online survey in October and November 2012 with a response rate of 45%. Methods: The Quantitative section included 21 statements describing why women stop breastfeeding. The Qualitative section included 4 open ended questions asking the women why they thought other women failed to breastfeed to 3 months, what healthcare providers and communities can do to help support breastfeeding for 12 months, and where they received the most support for their decision to start and continue breastfeeding. Results: Women who received unemployment (p=0.003) or state/federal assistance (p=0.043) for a shorter period of time stopped breastfeeding before 6 months. Only 52% of women who reported incomes over $60,000 were still breastfeeding at 9 months (p=0.053) compared to 81% of women below $60,000. Only in the self-weaning factor was the mean over 1.5 and my infant's age was the reason that contributed the most to termination. There was a correlation between the age of the infant when breastfeeding stopped and my significant other wanted me to stop that approached significance (r=0.294, p=0.055). There was a significant correlation between the psychosocial and lifestyle factors (r=0.514, p=0.000). When women were asked their opinions on why the majority of mothers stop breastfeeding before 3 months 3 common themes emerged: Inconvenience/Discomfort, Return to Work, and Lack of Support. Additional themes that emerged from the survey were Encouragement from healthcare support, More private spaces for community support, and Husband was the primary supporter. Conclusions: In this survey, infant age was the factor that contributed the most to why women stop after successfully breastfeeding for 3 months. Healthcare providers, communities, and significant others all play different but important roles to help mothers breastfeed until the infant is one year old.