Influences on breast feeding initiation and duration.

The study objectives were to establish the prevalence of breast feeding at birth, at four and twelve weeks after birth and describe the factors associated with its initiation and duration. The study population consisted of all babies born in May 1993 (n = 162) to mothers resident in Kildare. The response rate was 145/162 (89 percent). Mothers were visited within fourteen days of the birth. Breast feeding mothers were re-visited when the baby was four to six weeks old and at twelve to fourteen weeks. Interviews were conducted using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Fifty-five mothers (38%) chose to breast feed at birth. Twelve (8%) had stopped by the first, ten (7%) by the second and fourteen (10%) by the third visit. Higher social class and maternal grandmother having breast fed were significantly associated with initiation (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0005 respectively). Smokers and non-working mothers were significantly less likely to breast feed and smokers had a significantly shorter duration of breast feeding but these associations disappeared on social class adjustment.