Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample, overall and by type of feeding intended to practice during the first 2–3 weeks after birth
Total sample (n = 476) | Type of feeding intended to practice during the first 2–3 weeks after birth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High intention to breastfeed (n = 258) | High intention to mixed-feed (n = 50) | High intention to bottle feed (n = 80) | No high intention for any feeding practice (n = 88) | ||
Demographic and Socioeconomic factors | |||||
Ethnicity: | |||||
White British | 219 (46.0) | 105 (40.7) | 19 (38.0) | 63 (78.5) | 32 (36.3) |
Pakistani | 157 (32.9) | 83 (32.1) | 23 (46.0) | 13 (16.2) | 38 (43.1) |
Other | 100 (21.0) | 70 (27.1) | 8 (16.0) | 4 (5.0) | 18 (20.4) |
Mean (SD) age (years) | 28.0 (5.6) | 28.5 (5.4) | 28.4 (5.4) | 26.4 (5.5) | 27.8 (6.2) |
Parity: | |||||
Primiparous | 257 (54.1) | 149 (58.0) | 27 (54.3) | 32 (40.0) | 47 (54.4) |
Multiparous | 219 (45.9) | 108 (41.9) | 23 (45.6) | 48 (60.0) | 41 (45.5) |
BMI: | |||||
Normal (BMI <25) | 130 (27.8) | 67 (25.9) | 13 (26.0) | 28 (35.0) | 22 (25.0) |
Overweight (BMI 25–29.9) | 176 (36.9) | 103 (39.6) | 23 (46.0) | 19 (23.7) | 31 (35.2) |
Obese (BMI ≥30) | 170 (35.7) | 88 (34.11) | 14 (28.0) | 33 (41.2) | 35 (39.7) |
Marital and cohabitation status: | |||||
Married/living with partner | 379 (81.39) | 217 (84.2) | 45 (90.0) | 48 (60.0) | 69 (78.5) |
Single/not living with partner | 99 (18.6) | 41 (15.8) | 5 (10.0) | 32 (40.0) | 19 (21.5) |
Mother’s educational levela: | |||||
Less than 5 GCSE equivalent | 78 (16.3) | 34 (13.1) | 9 (18.0) | 18 (22.5) | 17 (19.3) |
5 GCSE equivalent | 132 (27.3) | 55 (21.3) | 13 (26.0) | 37 (46.2) | 27 (30.6) |
A level equivalent | 90 (18.9) | 45 (17.4) | 14 (28.0) | 14 (17.5) | 17 (19.3) |
Higher than A level equivalent | 145 (18.9) | 107 (41.4) | 14 (28.0) | 4 (5.0) | 20 (22.7) |
Can’t pay the bills | 53 (11.1) | 29 (9.9) | 7 (12.8) | 10 (11.7) | 14 (14.9) |
Finances worse than a year ago | 115 (24.1) | 68 (26.3) | 10 (20.0) | 18 (22.5) | 19 (21.5) |
Receiving means-tested benefit | 181 (38.0) | 86 (33.3) | 11 (22.0) | 50 (62.5) | 34 (38.6) |
Theory of planned behaviour factors | |||||
Mean (SD) attitude scores1 | |||||
To breastfeed only | 4.1 (1.0) | 4.7 (0.7) | 3.8 (0.9) | 2.5 (0.8) | 4.0 (0.9) |
To Mixed-feed | 3.1 (1.0) | 3.0 (0.9) | 3.9 (0.8) | 2.5 (0.9) | 3.6 (0.9) |
To bottle-feed only | 3.0 (1.2) | 2.4 (1.0) | 2.8 (0.9) | 4.5 (0.5) | 3.2 (0.9) |
Mean (SD) injunctive norm to breastfeed2 | 1.7 (1.9) | 1.7 (1.2) | 1.7 (1.2) | 1.6 (0.9) | 1.9 (1.3) |
Mean (SD) injunctive norm to mixed-feed2 | 1.6 (1.0) | 1.5 (0.9) | 1.7 (0.9) | 1.6 (1.0) | 1.8 (1.0) |
Mean (SD) injunctive norm to bottle-feed2 | 1.4 (0.8) | 1.3 (0.8) | 1.5 (0.9) | 1.3 (0.7) | 1.4 (0.7) |
Descriptive norms (categorical)3 | |||||
Other people breastfeed only | 143 (30.0) | 106 (41.0) | 5 (10.0) | 2 (2.5) | 30 (34.0) |
Other people mixed-feed | 151 (31.7) | 76 (29.4) | 29 (58.0) | 19 (23.7) | 27 (30.6) |
Other people bottle-feed only | 156 (32.7) | 66 (25.5) | 13 (26.0) | 51 (63.9) | 26 (29.5) |
Mean (SD) Self-efficacy scores1 | |||||
To breastfeed only | 3.1 (1.2) | 3.5 (1.0) | 2.9 (1.0) | 1.8 (0.9) | 3.0 (1.1) |
To mixed-feed | 2.5 (1.4) | 2.4 (1.4) | 3.3 (1.4) | 1.8 (1.1) | 2.9 (1.3) |
To bottle-feed only | 3.2 (1.7) | 2.9 (1.7) | 2.9 (1.9) | 4.4 (0.8) | 3.5 (1.5) |
Had previous negative experience of breastfeeding: | |||||
No previous experience | 256 (54.0) | 276 (58.0) | 139 (54.0) | 32 (40.0) | 48 (54.0) |
Negative experience | 130 (26.0) | 119 (23.0) | 39 (15.0) | 37 (47.0)11 (12.0) | 24 (26.0) |
Positive experience | 90 (19.0) | 81 (18.0) | 80 (30.0) | 16 (19.0) | |