An analysis of the breastfeeding practices of a group of mothers living in Victoria, Australia.

While breastfeeding is widely acknowledged as the best way to feed babies, few studies have incorporated a holistic approach when attempting to understand breastfeeding 'success' or 'failure'. This study attempted to identify the overall experience of breastfeeding for the women who participated, describe the nature of those experiences and determine which, if any, influences can be modified or changed within the confines of health policy and practice. The study found a range of independent variables that appeared to negatively influence both the experience and the duration of breastfeeding. These variables included antenatal influences such as employment status, education and social support; intrapartal influences such as type of birth, when teh first feed occurred and how the mother perceived the first feed; and postpartal influences such as introduction of other feeds, multiple problems, where the baby slept overnight and the use of pacifiers. Findings from the study identified a number of modifiable practices that could be developed which would have the potential to increase breastfeeding duration.