Factors affecting breastfeeding duration in Greece: What is important?

Table 1 Main socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers at recruitment

Characteristics	% (n)
Maternal age
Mean (SD)1	32.0 (4.7)
Country of origin
Greece	71.0 (304)
Other	29.0 (124)
Marital status2
Married	96.2 (403)
Not married	3.8 (16)
Educational status
Primary school	1.8 (8)
Secondary/high school	37.0 (158)
University/college	54.4 (233)
Postgraduate studies	6.8 (29)
Employment status3
Employed	73.4 (311)
Public sector	18.6 (79)
Private sector	45.1 (191)
Self-employed	7.8 (33)
Other	1.9 (8)
Domestically occupied	20.5 (87)
Unemployed	6.1 (26)

¹In years;

²Missing cases n = 9;

³Missing cases n = 4. n: Absolute numbers.

Table 2 Characteristics of the infant population at recruitment

Characteristics	% (n)
Gender
Female	45.7 (200)
Male	54.3 (238)
Birth weight
Mean (SD)1	3215 (493)
Delivery mode
Vaginal delivery	49.0 (218)
Caesarean section	51.0 (220)
Multiplicity
Singletons	95.4 (418)
Twins	4.6 (20)
Prematurity (< 37 wk)
No	91.0 (399)
Yes	9.0 (39)
Newborn health problems2
No	80.5 (350)
Yes	19.5 (86)

¹In grams;

²Missing cases n = 2. n: Absolute numbers.

Table 3 Partial and exclusive breastfeeding rates during the follow-up period by postpartum month

Postpartum month	Partial breastfeeding n1 (%)	Exclusive breastfeeding n (%)
1	175 (43.75)	174 (43.50)
2	125 (31.25)	154 (38.50)
3	92 (23.00)	136 (34.00)
4	75 (18.75)	118 (29.50)
5	58 (14.50)	106 (26.50)
6	57 (14.25)	98 (24.50)

¹Absolute numbers.

Table 4 Reasons for breastfeeding cessation in the postpartum period as reported by mothers (percentages only refer to mothers who have stopped breastfeeding)

Reason for breastfeeding cessation	Percentage of mothers (%)
Not enough milk	48.5
Other1	29.3
Other medical reason2	13.5
Return to work	4.2
Sore/traumatized nipples	2.4
Mastitis	1.5
Obstructed mammary ducts	0.6

¹Includes fatigue, ablactation, general breastfeeding problems;

²Includes health problems of the infant, maternal health problems, medications received by the mother.

Table 5 Adjusted hazard ratios and 95%CI for any breastfeeding duration

Characteristic	HR	95%CI	P value
Maternal age (per year)	1.01	0.97 to 1.05	P = 0.779
BMI before pregnancy (per kg/m2)	1.01	0.97 to 1.05	P = 0.600
Maternal educational status
High school graduate or lower	1.00
University/college education	0.53	0.37 to 0.76	P = 0.001
Postgraduate degree	0.20	0.09 to 0.43	P < 0.001
Maternal employment status
Unemployed/domestically occupied	1.00		P = 0.213
Employed	0.76	0.50 to 1.17
Maternal nationality
Greek	1.00
Immigrant	0.35	0.21 to 0.38	P < 0.001
Smoking before pregnancy
No	1.00
Yes	0.49	0.20 to 1.22	P = 0.124
Smoking during follow-up
No	1.00
Yes	4.20	2.57 to 6.89	P < 0.001
Maternal psychological problems
No	1.00
Yes	1.72	1.23 to 2.41	P = 0.002
Previous breastfeeding experience
No	1.00		P = 0.069
Yes	0.69	0.46 to 1.03
Breastfeeding encouragement
No	1.00
Yes	0.98	0.60 to 1.58	P = 0.916
Multiparity
Singleton	1.00
Twins	1.83	0.89 to 3.74	P = 0.099
Prematurity
Full-term	1.00		P = 0.088
Premature	1.65	0.93 to 2.93
Pacifier introduction
No	1.00
Yes	2.08	1.40 to 3.08	P < 0.001