Utilizing a Newly Designed Scale for Evaluating Family Support and Its Association with Exclusive Breastfeeding.

BACKGROUND: Although a woman's perception of her family members' support has long been established to be an influential factor on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), it still has not been specified and quantified as a facilitator and guidance for practice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in new mothers the association between EBF and maternal perception of family support with a standardized scale that classified support into nine items of behavioral or psychological support.

METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 655 new mothers to collect information on their breastfeeding behavior and their corresponding family support at a baby-friendly hospital in Beijing, China. Additionally, a nine-item standardized scale was used to explore the perceived family support for breastfeeding by new mothers. Breastfeeding behaviors were investigated using the indicators recommended by the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys.

RESULTS: The EBF rate was 37.9%. The average score on the family perception scale reported by respondents was 28.34 ± 3.84. The new mothers who performed EBF and who predominantly breastfed perceived greater family support (29.55 ± 3.53; 29.36 ± 4.09) compared with those who performed complementary feeding or mixed feeding (26.69 ± 3.33) and those who performed artificial feeding (26.17 ± 3.14) (F = 30.296, p < 0.001). A binary logistic regression model was applied, and a stepwise regression analysis was performed with these factors; it showed that mothers with a positive perception of family support were more likely to practice EBF than those with a negative perception (adjusted odds ratio = 3.971; 95% confidence interval 2.62-6.01; p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION: The EBF rate was quite low in the population investigated. Family support for breastfeeding could be evaluated by a scale, and new mothers' breastfeeding behaviors were strongly associated with their perceived family support for breastfeeding.

CONCLUSION: Community healthcare providers should play a more important role in issues regarding breastfeeding among new mothers, and family support should be encouraged by health workers.