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Does postpartum length of stay affect breastfeeding duration? A population-based study
Katherine E Heck1, Kenneth C Schoendorf, Gilberto F Chávez
1National Center for Health Statistics, and California Department of Health Services, USA.
Birth (Berkeley, Calif.)
|August 13, 2003
Summary
Short postpartum hospital stays increase the risk of early breastfeeding cessation. Women with shorter stays may face challenges receiving adequate support for breastfeeding initiation and continuation.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Shortened postpartum hospital stays may limit breastfeeding support.
- Early discharge can expose mothers to household demands, potentially hindering breastfeeding.
- This study investigates the link between postpartum length of stay and breastfeeding cessation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between postpartum length of stay and breastfeeding cessation.
- To identify factors associated with breastfeeding cessation in a large cohort of California women.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 10,519 California Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (MIHA) survey respondents (1999-2001).
- Employed survival analysis to assess the association between hospital length of stay and duration of breastfeeding.
- Categorized hospital stays as standard, shorter, or longer than recommended durations.
Main Results:
- Approximately 88% of women initiated breastfeeding.
- Short or long postpartum stays were unadjusted predictors of breastfeeding cessation.
- After adjusting for confounders, women with short stays showed a slightly increased likelihood of terminating breastfeeding (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.23).
Conclusions:
- Women discharged earlier than standard postpartum recommendations face a moderately elevated risk of early breastfeeding termination.
- Postpartum length of stay is a significant factor influencing breastfeeding continuation.