Factors associated with breastfeeding at discharge and duration of breastfeeding

Objective: To identify determinants of the initiation and duration of breastfeeding amongst Australian women. Methods: A prospective cohort study of 556 women in Perth, Western Australia and 503 women from the Darling Downs area, Queensland, Australia. Results: Breastfeeding at discharge was most strongly associated with perceived paternal support of breastfeeding with an adjusted odds ratio of 9.13 (95% CI 4.83-17.26), using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Duration of breastfeeding was most strongly associated with the length of time a mother intended to breastfeed with an adjusted relative risk of 4.18 (95% CI 2.81-6.22) for greater than or equal to 4 months relative to < 4 months. Conclusions: Interventions which aim to increase the length of time a woman intends to breastfeed, and which highlight the role of the father in successful breastfeeding, are recommended to help achieve recommended targets for breastfeeding initiation and duration.