Determinants of Breastfeeding

Abstract

Breastfeeding has been encouraged because it is believed to provide superior nutrition and immunological and physiological benefits to the infant, and for the mother. Healthy People 2010 have set statistical goals to increase the number of women who initiate breastfeeding and also continue to breastfeed over a longer period of time. The initiation goal will be to increase the proportion of mothers whom breastfeed to 75% in the early post-partum period and to 50% at six months postpartum and 25% at one year of age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2000). Sadly enough, any infant health benefits which breastfeeding may confer are not distributed evenly in American society-class and races are major determinants of which babies receive any biological advantage. Lack of confidence is a common variable determining the mother’s intention to initiate or continue breastfeeding. For the purpose of this research the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) developed by Fishbein and Ajzen has been utilized. This theory is based on individual motivational factors as determinants of the likelihood of performing a specific behavior (Montano and Kasprzyk, 2002). The sample population was obtained after receiving approval from the human subjects review approval (Application Appendix A) at the University of Michigan Flint Campus on-site Early Childhood Development Center. Participation of the survey was entirely voluntary, and targeted women of childbearing age who had a live birth equal to or less then twenty-four months from the date the survey was completed. Survey results revealed of the 20 participants 60% chose to breastfed, results also provided that if their partner, family or referent group felt breastfeeding was important the participant was more inclined to breastfeed, and 90% of the women either committed to their feeding method prior to pregnancy or during pregnancy; only 10% choose their method of feeding after the delivery of the baby.