Duration of Breastfeeding in Late Preterm Infants: Maternal and Infant Factors

More than 550,000 late preterm infants are born each year in Indonesia. These infants, born between 34^0/7-36^6/7 weeks, have more complications than term infants. Breastfeeding is considered the most optimal nutrition for newborn infants. Two groups of factors are important for successful breastfeeding: infant and maternal factors. The infant factors can be evaluated using the Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool and the maternal aspects with the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form.

To determine whether the Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool or the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form was more predictive of successful breastfeeding among late preterm infants.

This study was conducted in the Academic Teaching Hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia in March-July 2017. Mothers who delivered their infant between a gestational age of 34^0/7 and 36^6/7 weeks were included.

Fifty-four single born participant mother-infant pairs were included. The mean total Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form score was 57.8 (SD = 8.9). The mean Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool score was 8.3 (SD = 1.8). There was a significant correlation between the total Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form score and the Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool score (p = .020, r = 0.316). The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form was significantly higher in the participant (mothers) of the infants breastfed ≥ 4 months, compared to < 4 months, 61.59 (SD = 5.78) versus 51.78 (SD = 11.64; p = .001). No correlation was found between the duration of breastfeeding and Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool score (p = .087).

Maternal factors were more important for successful breastfeeding in these late preterm infants than infant factors in our sample.