Effect of Obesity and Early Breastfeeding Initiation on Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates

To compare the 6-week postpartum, exclusive breastfeeding rates between obese mothers and mothers with a normal body mass index (BMI), with early breastfeeding initiation.

The subjects were 415 singleton, postpartum, obese mothers who delivered without complications at the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center in the Nakhon Nayok province between the years of 2013 through 2015 and the same number of matched normal body mass index mothers. The early breastfeeding initiation of both the obese mothers and the normal BMI mothers was recorded. The exclusive breastfeeding rates were collected at the second day postpartum. Following discharge, telephone follow-ups were used for the collection of breastfeeding data at the 7th, 14th day and six weeks postpartum. The exclusive breastfeeding rates of the obese mothers were analyzed and compared with the exclusive breastfeeding rates of normal BMI mothers at the 2nd, 7th, 14th day and 6 weeks postpartum. The data was analyzed by Chi-square, relative risk and 95% confidence interval.

At the 2nd, 7th, 14th day and 6th week postpartum; the exclusive breastfeeding rates of the obese mothers’ group were 94.5, 71.1, 64.8 and 51.3%, respectively. The exclusive breastfeeding rates of the normal BMI mothers’ group for the same periods were 95.7, 79.3, 75.4 and 63.1%, respectively. There are statistically significant differences between the exclusive breastfeeding rates of the obese mothers’ group and the normal BMI groups at the 7th day, 14th day and 6th week postpartum. In the situation of early breastfeeding initiation, the exclusive breastfeeding rates of the obese mothers at the 2nd, 7th, 14th day and 6th week postpartum were 96.3, 77.0, 71.2 and 58.4%, respectively. The exclusive breastfeeding rates of the normal BMI mothers who had early breastfeeding initiation were 96.2, 81.3, 77.4 and 67.2% at the 2nd, 7th, 14th day and 6th week postpartum, respectively. No significant differences were seen between the two groups in the exclusive breastfeeding rates at the 2nd, 7th and 14th day postpartum.

The obesity had negative effect on exclusive breastfeeding rates during six weeks postpartum after mothers’ discharge. But the exclusive breastfeeding rates of both the obese and normal BMI mothers were not significantly different during two weeks postpartum in early breastfeeding initiation situation. The obese mothers could be advised about early breastfeeding initiation.