Table 5.
Stopping breast feeding
| Types of feeds/stopping breast feeding | ||||
| Age stopped breast feeding* | ||||
| 6 weeks or less | 11/27† (41%) | |||
| >6 weeks to 4 months | 7/27 (26%) | |||
| >4 months to 6 months | 3/27 (11%) | |||
| >6 months | 6/27 (22%) | |||
| Age started formula feeds | ||||
| 6 weeks or less | 44/57‡ (77%) | |||
| >6 weeks to 4 months | 3/57 (5%) | |||
| >4 months to 6 months | 5/57 (9%) | |||
| >6 months | 5/57 (9%) | |||
| Age when given a non-milk drink§ (weeks) | Median 26 (IQR 20–28) | |||
| Age at which first given cow’s milk (weeks) | Median 44 (IQR 28–48) | |||
| Stopping breast feeding and problems with feeding | Initial questionnaire | 7 months questionnaire | 12 months questionnaire |
|
| Maternal opinion on how long they breastfed | ||||
| Breastfed for as long as they intended | 14/37 (38%) | 4/23 (17%) | 4/20 (20%) | |
| Breastfed for longer than they intended | 3/37 (8%) | 3/23 (13%) | 3/20 (15%) | |
| Would have liked to breastfeed longer. | 20/37 (54%) | 16/23 (70%) | 13/20 (65%) | |
| Reasons for stopping breast feeding | ||||
| Inadequate breastmilk supply | 6/20 (30%) | 7/54 (13%) | 2/40 (5%) | |
| Problems expressing milk | 5/20 (25%) | 3/54 (6%) | 4/40 (10%) | |
| Excessive time expressing milk | 5/20 (25%) | 1/54 (2%) | 2/40 (5%) | |
| Baby losing weight | 4/20 (20%) | 2/54 (4%) | 2/40 (5%) | |
| Maternal medical problem | 3/20 (15%) | 2/54 (4%) | 1/40 (3%) | |
| Lethargy | 1/20 (5%) | 1/54 (2%) | ||
| Weaning by choice | n/a | 4/54 (7%) | 3/40 (8%) | |
| Other | 3/54 (6%) | 4/40 (10%) | ||
*Including using expressed breastmilk and mixed feeding and/or were introduced to other types of milk feeds or drinks.
†This denominator is the number of women who had stopped breast feeding by the data cut-off date for data analysis. Some infants would still have been receiving breastmilk at the cut-off date for data analysis. Some would also have been still mixed feeding both breastmilk and formula
‡This denominator is the number of women who had introduced formula feeds by the data cut off date for data analysis. Some would still be receiving some breastmilk and mixed feeding both breastmilk and formula
§Non-milk drinks included any drink other than milk including water (which would be fine) and juices which would not be recommended.
n/a, not available.