Predictors of Sustained Breastfeeding at 2 Months Among Early Term/Late Preterm Infants

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To conduct secondary analyses to identify the independent effect of predictors of sustained breastfeeding at 2 months among early term/late preterm infants, and to specifically evaluate the associations between hospital-based practices and breastfeeding outcomes in this population. Methods Breastfeeding mothers (N = 125) who delivered an early term/late preterm infant (35 to 38 6/7 weeks gestation) were interviewed during their postpartum (pp) hospitalization. Medical records were reviewed to collect data on demographics, delivery characteristics and biomedical variables. Participants were contacted at 2 months pp to assess breastfeeding status. Bivariate analyses were conducted, and the significant bivariate predictors of breastfeeding at 2 months were entered into a logistic regression model to identify predictors of sustained breastfeeding at 2 months pp. Results At 2 months pp, 104 women (83.2%) were followed up, with 71.2% still breastfeeding. In bivariate analyses, significant predictors of sustained breastfeeding at 2 months pp included: skin-to-skin contact beyond the first 24 hours pp, higher breastfeeding self-efficacy score, breastfeeding assessment score >80% on day 1, no breast pump use after the first 24 hours during the pp hospital stay, no nipple shield use, primiparity, increased birthweight, singleton status, and no supplemental feedings given in the hospital. In the logistic regression analyses, the only significant predictors of sustained breastfeeding at 2 months were continued use of skin-to-skin contact beyond the first 24 hours (OR: 20.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) (3.19–133.6) and increasing birth weight (OR: 1.001, 95% CI (1.000–1.003). None of the hospital-based practices (use of breast pump, nipple shields, or nipple vs non-nipple supplemental feeding method) were associated with continued breastfeeding at 2 months. Conclusions Our findings suggest that continued use of skin-to-skin contact beyond the first 24 hours of life may be associated with extended breastfeeding duration among late preterm/early term infants. Future research is needed to evaluate the impact of variations in the timing and dose of extended skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding duration of late preterm/early term infants. Funding Sources None.