Factors associated with the duration of breastfeeding amongst women in Perth, Australia

Duration of breastfeeding was studied in 556 women delivering at 2 maternit y hospitals in Perth, Australia. At discharge 83.8% of women were breastfee ding their infants, including 6% who were giving complementary feeds. At 3 and 6 months, 61.8% and 49.9%, respectively, were still breastfeeding. In a Cox survival analysis of factors associated with duration of breastfeeding a positive association was found with maternal education, age and intended duration of breastfeeding. Male infants were more likely to be weaned befo re female infants and women whose partners were unemployed, or did not have a preference for breastfeeding, breastfed for shorter duration. There is s till a need for programmes which support and encourage breastfeeding, focus ing particularly on younger, less well-educated women who intend to breast- feed for less than the recommended 4-6 months.