Income, Breastfeeding Problems, Infant Care Support, and Sleep Are Associated With Maternal Satisfaction With Breastfeeding

Background: Maternal satisfaction with breastfeeding is an important indicator of breastfeeding success. However, little is known about the satisfaction of women in lower-middle-income countries, whose breastfeeding rates tend to be higher than those in high-income countries. Aim: To investigate the factors associated with maternal satisfaction with breastfeeding. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and observational study with 291 women in the 6 months postpartum, all users of the public health network in the city of Aracaju, Brazil. Data were collected using the Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale, along with a semi-structured questionnaire covering demographic, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum characteristics. A multivariable logistic regression model with intra-block analysis was constructed to identify factors associated with maternal satisfaction with breastfeeding. Results: The average maternal satisfaction score was 125.3 ( SD = 13.7). Higher maternal satisfaction was associated with lower monthly family income (less than half the minimum wage; OR = 2.12; 95% CI 1.20, 3.74), absence of problems in breastfeeding ( OR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.19, 3.67), current exclusive breastfeeding ( OR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.09, 3.04), support in caring for the child ( OR = 1.89; 95% CI 1.05, 3.40), and good quality of maternal sleep ( OR = 1.71; 95% CI 1.01, 2.90). Conclusion: Preventing breastfeeding problems and providing support in childcare, with a focus on improving maternal sleep quality, are essential to increasing breastfeeding satisfaction in low-resource women. These strategies are low-cost and feasible for implementation within routine health services.