The Reasons for Early Weaning, Perceived Insufficient Breast Milk, and Maternal Dissatisfaction: Comparative Studies in Two Belgian Regions

Table 5

Top 15 reasons for not breastfeeding and weaning in the first year (%).

	At the maternity ward		After the maternity ward (months)
	No BF	Partial BF	≤3	≤6	≤12
Prevalence of any BF
Wallonia (W)	23. 6	10.0	54.1	29.1	11.8
Brussels (B)	9.4	9.7	73.9	55.7	23.3
Reason of weaning
1/BF intrinsic problems	10.4	60.9	58.5	38.4	31.5
	17.6	63.5	64.9	34.8	35.3
PIM
W	6.5	37.0	31.1	20.5	18.5
B	5.9	48.1	26.7	26.6	25.2
Technical difficulties
W	2.6	23.9	15.2	3.6	1.9
B	8.8	15.4	15.3	1.8	1.7
No milk
W	1.3	—	12.2	14.3	11.1
B	2.9	—	22.9	6.4	8.4
2/External causes	89.6	39.1	41.5	61.6	68.5
	82.4	36.5	35.1	65.2	64.7
Personal opinion
W	37.7	—	4.8	—	—
B	32.4	3.8	3.0	—	0.8
Back to work
W	1.3	—	12.8	41.1	25.9
B	2.9	—	9.2	26.6	12.6
Mother’s health
W	13.0	4.3	7.3	6.3	9.3
B	5.9	3.8	6.1	7.3	4.2
Logistics
W	7.8	—	1.8	1.8	3.7
B	2.9	—	3.8	3.7	5.9
Twins
W	1.3	10.9	3.7	0.9	—
B	4.3	13.5	4.6	—	—
Fatigue
W	—	—	7.3	3.6	11.1
B	—	—	4.6	7.3	5.0
The child did not want to drink
W	—	2.2	4.3	7.1	11.1
B	—	1.9	5.3	11.0	23.5
Circum. related to childbirth
W	5.6	10.9	—	—	—
B	8.7	5.8	—	—	—
Previous bad experience
W	13.0	8.7	—	—	—
B	5.9	—	—	—	—
Baby’s health
W	2.6	8.7	—	—	—
B	8.7	3.8	—	—	—
Pregnant mother
W	—	—	—	—	5.6
B	—	—	—	2.8	10.9
Other reasons
W	3.3	0	1.2	0.9	7.4
B	10.9	1.9	3.8	3.7	1.7
total	77	46	164	112	54
	34	52	131	109	119