Determination of effective factors in breast feeding continuity for infants less than 1 year old in urban area of Bushehr Province

Breast feeding is of great value to mothers and children health. Data shows exclusive breast feeding rate (especially in urban area) and continuity of breast feeding in Bushehr is lower than the national rate. In this cross-sectional study, by using cluster random sampling method, mothers of 436 children (213 boys, 223 girls, aged under one year old) were selected for face to face interview in Bushehr province. Ninety-nine percent of mothers had started breast feeding immediately after delivery but 80% of infants fewer than 6 months and 62% in the age group of 6-12 months were breast fed exclusively or inclusively. Rate of exclusive breast feeding was 47%. The most common causes of terminating breast feeding were insufficient breast milk, mothers’ occupations and crying of children. There was a significant relation between breast feeding and mother’s education, mother’s job, mother’s knowledge about breast feeding promoting program and mother or child’s illness. However, there was no significant relation between father’s education and his job, the number of living children and breast feeding condition for previous child. Promotion of mother’s knowledge by health and hospital staff during pregnancy and delivery time is the most important factor in increasing breast feeding continuity.