Breastfeeding Rates and Affecting Factors in Metropolitan City

This study aims to investigate breastfeeding rates and factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding. The participants were 3,875 women who each had a child aged 12 months or over. Data was collected from 2010 to 2013. Logistic regression result analysis shows that exclusive breastfeeding of at the one-month and six-month stage differed significantly according to birth weight, birth order, type of delivery, educational and employment status of the mother, in addition to the experience of attending breastfeeding education classes. Exclusive breastfeeding in the one-month and six-month groups decreased slowly year-on-year. Therefore, it is necessary to raise public awareness about the significance of exclusive breastfeeding and to develop institutional strategies to support working mothers who are willing to breastfeed their babies for at least six months after childbirth.