Agreement between Future Parents on Infant Feeding Intentions and Its Association with Breastfeeding Duration: Results from the Growing Up in New Zealand Cohort Study

Maternal intentions are believed to have the strongest influence on infant feeding. However, what has rarely been studied, are the associations of maternal and partner intentions, and the influence these factors have on infant feeding. Our objective was to describe breastfeeding intentions of pregnant women and their partners, agreement about these intentions, and whether this agreement is associated with breastfeeding initiation and duration. This study was completed within the Growing Up in New Zealand study. Agreement between mothers and partners on intended initial infant feeding method was fair ( = 0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17-0.25) as was intended breastfeeding duration ( = 0.25, 95% CI 0.22-0.28). Infants whose parents agreed antenatally on breastfeeding only were more likely to have been breastfed for >6 months, after adjustment for maternal (odds ratio (OR) = 6.3, 95% CI 3.9-10.2) and partner demographics (OR = 5.7, 95% CI 3.6-9.2). Likewise, infants whose parents agreed antenatally to breastfeed for >6 months were more likely to have been breastfed for >6 months, after adjustment for maternal (OR = 4.9, 95% CI 3.9-6.2) and partner demographics (OR = 5.0, 95% CI 4.0-6.3). Interventions that promote breastfeeding to both mothers and partners which enable parents to reach agreement about intended feeding methods have the potential to increase both breastfeeding initiation and duration.