Factors Associated With Exclusive Direct Breastfeeding in the First 3 Months

To identify factors associated with exclusive direct breastfeeding in the first 3 months among mother and infant dyads living in the United States.

A secondary analysis of data collected using a cross-sectional online survey completed over a 4-month period in late 2019.

We recruited a convenience sample of 370 mothers with healthy full-term singleton infants between 1 and 12 weeks of age whose feeding methods consisted of direct breastfeeding at least once a day. Mothers had not returned to work/school at the time of the survey completion.

The questionnaire consisted of 34 questions about maternal and infant factors that influence decisions about infant feeding, professional support, and parental preferences.

Mothers who practiced feeding on demand (adjusted OR [aOR] = 35.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.04, 500.00]) and mothers of infants 1 to 4 weeks of age (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI [1.54, 4.85]) were more likely to use exclusive direct breastfeeding. The odds of exclusive direct breastfeeding decreased with mothers who breastfed with a nipple shield while in the hospital/birth center/home (aOR = 0.13, 95% CI [0.05, 0.35]), used pacifiers (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI [0.21, 0.65]), or had perceptions of insufficient milk (aOR = 0.11, 95% CI [0.04, 0.26]).

Demand feeding and an infant's age of 1 to 4 weeks contributed to exclusive direct breastfeeding. Lower rates of exclusive direct breastfeeding were associated with the use of nipple shields immediately after birth, pacifier use, and perceptions of insufficient milk. Further investigation is warranted to fully differentiate exclusive direct breastfeeding from exclusive breastfeeding.