Factors associated with the discontinuation of breastfeeding until 3 months after delivery

Study Purpose : The purpose of this study was to calculate the degree of the influences of factors affecting the discontinuation of breastfeeding until １ month after delivery on that until ３ months after delivery, and to identify indicators of the discontinuation of breastfeeding until３months.
Methods : The subjects were ６０ mothers who delivered a single infant and initiated breastfeeding in an early puerperal stage after full-term vaginal delivery.
As possible indicators of breastfeeding until ３ months after delivery, ３ breast morphological factor variables（“nipple morphological abnormalities : flat nipples, true inverted nipples, and large nipples ≥１７ mm in diameter”, “nipple fissures”, and “mammary gland tissue thickness ≤２１ mm”）and５factors （bleeding volume at delivery, birth weight, the absence of breastfeeding in the last child, a smoking habit, and the absence of breastfeeding at discharge）were surveyed.
The ８ factors were surveyed at the time of puerperal discharge. The continuation of breastfeeding ３ months after delivery was ascertained by telephone.
The degree of the influences of each factor on the milk feeding form was analyzed by Fisher’s exact method and logistic regression analysis.
Results and conclusion
Factors affecting the milk feeding form ３ months after delivery
Among the ８ possible factors leading to the discontinuation of breastfeeding, the absence of breastfeeding at discharge（Fisher p＝０．００３）alone compared with its presence resulted in mixed/ bottlefeeding ３ months after delivery. The odds ratio of each factor in the mother/child was １．９３１ for the thickness of mammary gland tissue, １．６７７ for bleeding volume at delivery, ２．５０２ for the absence of breastfeeding in the last child, and ７．３３７ for the absence of breastfeeding at discharge. By logistic regression analysis, only the absence of breastfeeding at discharge was correlated with mixed/bottlefeeding ３ months after delivery（odds ratio, ７．３３７ ; p＝０．０１７）.
These results suggest that the absence of breastfeeding at discharge is an indicator of the discontinuation of breastfeeding until ３ months after delivery.