Relationship of Ability to Breast Feed and Maternal Attitudes Toward Breast Feeding

Ninety-one mothers were interviewed shortly after delivery to ascertain their attitudes toward breast feeding. Independent judges divided the attitudes into three categories on the basis of written records of the interview. Of the mothers who expressed positive attitudes toward breast feeding, 74% had enough milk by the fifth day after delivery to make formula supplementation unnecessary. Only 35% of those who expressed doubtful and 26% of those who expressed negative attitudes toward breast feeding had enough milk to make formula supplementation unnecessary by the fifth day. Mothers with positive attitudes gave a larger average amount of milk on the fourth day, reported slightly more signs of let-down, and used nipple shields less frequently than the mothers with negative attitudes. Mothers with positive attitudes reported that their babies had less difficulty sucking and less frequently refused the breast, but more frequently refused the bottle than those mothers with negative attitudes. The course of lactation in the mothers with doubtful attitudes although upon the whole more like that of the negative group did follow in some ways that of the positive group. The incidence of crying at the breast and biting or chewing the nipple was the same in all three attitude categories. The implications of this study on the management of breast feeding are discussed.