Table 6.

The reasons for delay of initiation of breastfeeding given by mothers in Focus Group Discussions

Classified reasons	Representative quotes
Lack of knowledge about early initiation of breastfeeding	• “The doctors and nurses didn’t tell us to start breastfeeding immediately (after childbirth)…The grandparents also didn’t mention that.”
No breast milk at the beginning	• “Immediately after birth we had no idea that there would be some breast milk available soon after delivery” • “I could not see/feel any breast milk after delivery. Therefore, there was no milk ready to be sucked out.”
Caesarean section	• “Because I had a Caesarean section, the wound was still painful after birth. Therefore, I started to breastfeed my baby on the third day after delivery” • “After the Caesarean section, we expressed a bit of colostrum for the baby by hand”
Large nipples	• “The baby refused to suck, because the nipples were too big for him. About three days later, he was ready to start sucking.”