1. Perceptions of Insufficient Milk in Low Income WIC Women Rebecca Heidarisafa, BSN Undergraduate Honors Student, Western Michigan University Sandi Tenfelde, PhD, APN, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago Ruth Zielinski, PhD, CNM, Western Michigan University Funded by Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Beta Chapter BACKGROUND Breastfeeding has multiple health and economic benefits for women and children 1. National data suggest that women who receive benefits from the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program breastfeed for shorter durations than women who do not receive WIC services 2. Research Questions 1.What are the reasons why WIC women stop breastfeeding within the first 12 months? 2.How do the reported reasons for stopping breastfeeding vary by maternal characteristics? 3.Do the reasons WIC women stop breastfeeding vary by time of breastfeeding duration? Design Secondary data analysis of existing longitudinal survey and administrative Chicago-area health WIC clinic data (1999- 2003). Conceptual Framework The Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (Cox, 2003) was used to guide the inclusion of predictor variables. Sample (n = 238) Maternal Age: mean = 26 (SD=5, range 18-39) 75% Hispanic 25% Not Hispanic 76% < High School Education 39% Married 41% First Baby Question 2: Logistic regression was used to analyze how perception of insufficient milk varied as a function of maternal predictors. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequencies of reported reasons for stopping breastfeeding over time. PredictorOdds ratio p value 95% CI Hispanic2.660.01 1.21- 5.83 Significant predictor of Perception of Insufficient Milk (n=111) Reason n% Perceived inadequate milk supply 11146.4 Return to work/ school 3213.4 Other mom problems 3112.9 Infant weaned self 2812.1 Infant has teeth 93.8 Mother ill 93.8 Other infant problems 62.5 Lack of support 52.0 Physician advice 31.3 Sore nipples 20.8 Infant ill 10.4 Time constraints 10.4 Limitations: This study was a retrospective analysis of data and there was no quantitative measures of milk supply. Additionally women were not asked how long they intended to breastfeed. Conclusions: In this sample WIC women stopped breastfeeding for a variety of reasons, the most frequently reported reason was a maternal perception of insufficient milk supply. Hispanic women are more than twice as likely to report a perception of insufficient milk for the reason why they stop breastfeeding, compared to Non- Hispanic women. The majority of women reported the perception of insufficient milk as the reason for breastfeeding cessation within the first three months of breastfeeding. Hispanic Non-Hispanic Key: Maternal Problems Infant Problems RESULTS Question 1 :. Descriptive Statistics were used to illustrate the reasons why WIC women stopped breastfeeding Question 3: Breastfeeding discontinuation rates and reasons among Hispanic (top graph) and Non-Hispanic women (bottom graph) 1 - American Academy of Pediatrics. (2012). Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 129, 827-841. 2 - Ryan, A. S., & Zhou, W. (2006). Lower breastfeeding rates persist among the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children participants, 1978–2003. Pediatrics,117, 1136–1146.