Investigating Risk Factors of Failure in Exclusive Breastfeeding in Less than One-Year-Old Children Referred to Health Centers in Rasht City

Introduction: One of the most influential factors in achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals in reducing poverty, hunger and malnutrition is breast feeding with complementary nutrition. Although exclusive breast-feeding in first six months of birth guarantee child health, however, some mothers still do not breastfeed or cut feeding earlier than the proper time and start replacers instead. Based on results of various investigations, discontinuing determinant of breastfeeding includes: absence of mother in baby's room, failure in start of on-time complementary feeding, failure in simultaneous discharging of mother and child from hospital. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of failure in exclusive breastfeeding children under one-year-old referred to health centers in Rasht, Iran. Methods: This analytical descriptive study was performed on 263 women with under one-year-old child who had stopped exclusive breastfeeding in 2010. Data were collected by using a questionnaire about personal characteristics, socioeconomic status, factors related to hospital, child nutritional status associated with failure of exclusive breastfeeding. Data were analyzed by using the statistical SPSS software version 17, chi-square and logistic regression tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Results have shown that 19 of mothers had not breastfed at all, 157 person (59.7) breastfed less than 4 months and 56 person (21.3) of them breastfed between 4 -6 months. In addition based on logistic regression test, Do not use of breastfeeding time increased 2.7 lack of continuation breastfeeding during in job and innutrition with breast during first 30 minutes of birth increased 8.4 lack of continuation breastfeeding. Conclusions: Ongoing support of mothers especially employee ones during breast feeding and hugging infant immediately after birth are the important principles of breastfeeding continuity.