Duration of breastfeeding among first-time mothers in the United States: Results of a national survey

Aim: To determine the characteristics of primiparous women who breastfeed for only short periods of time. Methods: The 2002 National Survey of Family Growth was used to analyze the characteristics of a national probability sample of 3229 first-time US mothers aged 15 to 44 y with children ages 1 to 18 y old, 1960 of whom breastfed. Main outcome measures in the cross-sectional study included breastfeeding at birth and at 3 mo as determined by in-person, computer-assisted interviews conducted by trained female interviewers. Results: Sixty-two percent of first-time mothers with singleton live births initiated any breastfeeding and 36% were still breastfeeding at 3 mo. Those who were older, married, and at higher educational levels were significantly more likely to continue breastfeeding beyond 3 mo. These same demographic factors were associated with differences in breastfeeding rates both early (within the first week of life) and consistently over the first 3 mo. In multivariate analyses, only educational level remained as a predictor of breastfeeding. Conclusion: Targeted breastfeeding interventions for young, single, less-educated women are warranted in a culturally sensitive context, both prenatally and immediately postpartum, to improve the duration of breastfeeding among first-time mothers in the US.