Factors Associated with Recurrent Infant Feeding Practices in Subsequent Births A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

Background:Previous breastfeeding experience has been associated with subsequent infant feeding practices. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated formula-only feeding patterns or the full range of potentially associated characteristics.Objective:This study aimed to determine the recurrence of infant feeding practices and maternal, birthing, and infant characteristics associated with recurrent formula-only feeding and changes between exclusive breastfeeding and formula-only feeding across subsequent births.Methods:We conducted a population-based record-linkage study of 317 027 mothers, with a term singleton live-birth in 2007-2011, New South Wales, Australia. Infant feeding patterns were described using sequential birth pairs. For mothers with a first and second birth, robust Poisson regression was used to investigate the association between maternal, birthing, and infant characteristics and infant feeding patterns. Combined relative risks (RRs) were calculated for selected maternal characteri...