Factors associated with the initiation of breast-feeding by Aboriginal mothers in Perth

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of breast-feeding at discharge and the determinants of breast-feeding initiation amongst Aboriginal women. Design: A prospective cohort study using a self-administered baseline questionnaire and telephone-administered follow-up interviews. Setting: Six hospitals with maternity wards in Perth, Western Australia. Subjects: Four hundred and twenty-five Aboriginal mothers of newborn infants. Results: At discharge, 89.4% of Aboriginal mothers were breast-feeding. Breast-feeding at discharge was most positively associated with perceived paternal support of breast-feeding, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 6.65 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.81-15.74), and with maternal age (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.22), but negatively associated with parity and having delivered vaginally. Conclusion: The factors independently associated with breast-feeding at discharge were similar to those previously identified for a group of non-Aboriginal Perth women, suggesting that separate breast-feeding interventions specially targeted at Aboriginal women are not warranted. The findings do, however, highlight the importance of including the father in the breast-feeding discussions.