Italian women who did not intend to breastfeed : a descriptive study

The aim of this study is to identify some characteristics of women who, before having delivered their babies, decide not to breastfeed. To date there are no Italian studies trying to understand characteristics and reasons of mothers who do not want to breastfeed. In Italy at the time of discharge from hospitals 2\u20133% of women have already made the decision to inhibit the onset of lactation. In this descriptive study women suppressed their milk supply with some medication straight after delivery as they did not wish to breastfeed. One hundred and ninety-two mothers from a hospital in Northern Italy, taking Cabergoline 1 mg by mouth after delivery, were studied with Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. Variables analysed were taken from clinical records and by interviewing each woman once. Five clusters were found: each group describes a different profile of women who intended not to breastfeed. This study revealed that variables linked to the choice of inhibiting the onset of lactation are complex. Each woman is unique and some factors, which have emerged from clusters, can help health professionals to target appropriate interventions, as it is very important to counsel mothers about the best way of feeding newborns