1974 The University of Queensland, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Research, Australia.
J Hum Lact. 2021 May;37(2):390-402. doi: 10.1177/0890334420929993. Epub 2020 Jun 2.
Rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Australia lag behind international targets. Reasons for non-exclusive breastfeeding are poorly understood.
To describe demographic profiles of participants reporting different feeding practices, and reasons for not exclusively breastfeeding to 6 months.
Demographics for 2888 mothers (5340 children) and reasons for 1879 mothers (3018 children) from the Mothers and Their Children's Health Study (a sub-study of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health) were examined using descriptive statistics and multivariable regression.
Only 34.4% of children were exclusively breastfed to 6 months. Five non-exclusive feeding practices were identified: never breastfed (3.9%), breastfed < 6 months (20.8%), and breastfed to 6 months but had formula (6.8%), solids (24.5%), or both formula and solids (9.7%). Mothers of children who received < 6 months of human milk were more likely to have a lower education, be overweight/obese, smoke, and live in cities (compared to mothers of children exclusively breastfed). Reasons for never breastfeeding and for breastfeeding < 6 months were primarily insufficient milk and breastfeeding difficulties (e.g., latching issues). Reasons for introducing solids were primarily cues for solids (e.g., showing interest). Reasons for formula were insufficient milk and practical considerations (e.g., return to work). Reasons for both solids and formula were diverse, including insufficient milk, weaning cues, and practical considerations.
Mothers who did not exclusively breastfeed to 6 months were a heterogeneous group, indicating that both targeted and universal strategies are required to increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Support should encompass the broad range of feeding practices.
澳大利亚的纯母乳喂养率落后于国际目标。不进行纯母乳喂养的原因尚不清楚。
描述报告不同喂养方式的参与者的人口统计学特征，以及不进行纯母乳喂养至 6 个月的原因。
使用描述性统计和多变量回归分析，对来自母亲及其儿童健康研究（澳大利亚妇女健康纵向研究的子研究）的 2888 位母亲（5340 位儿童）的人口统计学数据和 1879 位母亲（3018 位儿童）的原因进行了研究。
仅有 34.4%的儿童在 6 个月时进行纯母乳喂养。确定了 5 种非纯母乳喂养方式：从未母乳喂养（3.9%）、母乳喂养 < 6 个月（20.8%）、母乳喂养至 6 个月但添加配方奶（6.8%）、固体食物（24.5%）或配方奶和固体食物都添加（9.7%）。接受 < 6 个月人乳的儿童的母亲更有可能受教育程度较低、超重/肥胖、吸烟且居住在城市（与接受纯母乳喂养儿童的母亲相比）。从未母乳喂养和母乳喂养 < 6 个月的主要原因是母乳不足和母乳喂养困难（例如，衔乳问题）。添加固体食物的主要原因是固体食物的信号（例如，表现出兴趣）。添加配方奶的主要原因是母乳不足和实际考虑（例如，返回工作岗位）。添加配方奶和固体食物的主要原因是多样化的，包括母乳不足、断奶信号和实际考虑。
没有纯母乳喂养至 6 个月的母亲是一个异质群体，这表明需要采用有针对性和普遍的策略来提高纯母乳喂养率。支持应涵盖广泛的喂养方式。
