Infant feeding decisions among pregnant women from a WIC population in Georgia

Abstract

A survey comparing the anticipated choice of feeding method with attitudinal, social influence, and psychological variables was conducted in a WIC population (no. = 120) in the East Central Health District of Georgia. Attitudinal variables had a stronger relationship with the choice of feeding method than either the social influence or psychological variables. When all the variables that were associated with choice of feeding method were analyzed with multiple regression analysis, the positive attitudes toward breast feeding scale had the strongest impact on choice of method, followed in order by method preferred by the father, the positive attitudes toward formula scale, and the knowledge about breast feeding scale. The regression model consisting of those four variables explained 64% of the variation in choice of feeding method and correctly classified the women's feeding method choice in 82% of the cases. These findings suggest that breast-feeding promotion interventions should be provided by health care professionals at critical times during the prepartum period and that fathers should be included in the discussion of the infant feeding decision.