The Selected Predicting Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Within a 6-month Period among Mothers with Preterm Infants

Abstract

This predictive correlation research aimed to identify the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, and the predicting factors for a 6-month period of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers with preterm infants. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 210 mothers who brought their preterm infants to the high-risk premature infant clinic at Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital. Data were collected using eight questionnaires. The reliability of the breastfeeding knowledge questionnaire was tested using Kuder’ Richardson method (KR 20), yielding a value .75, and the breastfeeding attitude questionnaire, the barriers on breastfeeding questionnaire, the perceived self-efficacy on breastfeeding questionnaire, the enabling factors access to public health services questionnaire and the reinforcing factors of social on breastfeeding questionnaire were tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, yielding values .82, .97, .85, .93, and .87, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression.
The results revealed that: 1) breastfeeding knowledge, barriers on breastfeeding, and breastfeeding self-efficacy were related to exclusive breastfeeding within a 6-months’ period among mothers with preterm infants (p < .05), and 2) the predicting factors related to the exclusive breastfeeding within a 6-months’ period among mothers with preterm infants were breastfeeding knowledge (adj. OR = 2.27, 95%CI = 1.105-4.669), and breastfeeding self-efficacy (adj. OR = 3.96, 95%CI = 2.069-7.563). Therefore, arranging activities focused on educating breastfeeding knowledge and breastfeeding self-efficacy will help promote exclusive breastfeeding within a 6-month period among mothers with preterm infants.