Table 4 Reasons stated by the mothers as important in determining early discontinuation and complementation of exclusive breastfeeding

Lactational factors

%

%

%

%

%

 Infant’s difficulty in sucking or latching

10

17

2

22

8

 Presence of nipple cracks and fissures

10

10

19

13

6

 Presence of breast engorgement or mastitis

10

10

10

14

7

 Painful breastfeeding

10

8

8

10

6

 Delayed lactogenesis II

22

16

14

19

10

 Mother could not or intended not to pump or breastfeed at work

/

1

2

3

1

 Pumping was too tiring and time consuming

10

6

1

9

5

 Breastfeeding was too inconvenient

/

1

1

1

1

 Breastfeeding was too tiring

10

13

5

18

10

 Too many household duties

/

3

3

4

9

 Need or wish to have the infant fed by someone else

10

15

17

29

22

 Wish not to breastfeed in public

/

1

1

1

2

 According to my opinion, breast milk did not satisfy the infant’s nutritional requirements

49

43

42

62

38

 Perception of inadequate milk supply

40

68

67

99

55

 A health professional said the baby was not gaining enough weight

40

36

36

51

29

 Wish to lose weight

/

1

1

1

1

 Wish to stop breastfeeding

49

40

38

57

37

 Wish to follow the usual diet

0

0

0

0

0

 Wish to smoke again or more than allowed while breastfeeding

0

0

0

0

0

 New pregnancy or wish to have a new pregnancy

/

1

2

3

4

 Drug consumption and/or maternal disease

/

1

1

1

1

 The infant was sick and could not be breastfed

/

3

2

5

2

 The baby began to bite

/

6

6

11

6

 The baby lost interest in nursing or began to wean him or herself

/

1

1

2

3

 The infant was growing. and the difference between breast milk and formula was no longer important

10

5

5

8

8