Exclusive breastfeeding in rural Western China: does father's co-residence matter?

Jingchun Nie; Lifang Zhang; Shuyi Song; Andrew John Hartnett; Zhuo Liu; Nan Wang; Weiqi Nie; Jie Yang; Ying Li; Yaojiang Shi

doi:10.1186/s12889-021-12025-8

Exclusive breastfeeding in rural Western China: does father's co-residence matter?

BMC Public Health. 2021 Nov 2;21(1):1981. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12025-8.

Authors

Jingchun Nie¹, Lifang Zhang², Shuyi Song¹, Andrew John Hartnett³, Zhuo Liu¹, Nan Wang¹, Weiqi Nie¹, Jie Yang⁴, Ying Li¹, Yaojiang Shi¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Street, Chang'an District, Xian, Shaanxi Province, China.
² Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
³ Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.
⁴ Center for Experimental Economics in Education, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Street, Chang'an District, Xian, Shaanxi Province, China. jyang0716@163.com.

Abstract

Background: China suffers from a low exclusive breastfeeding rate. Though it has been proofed that paternal support benefits breastfeeding a lot, the correlation between father's co-residence and exclusive breastfeeding in China remain undiscovered. This study is to provide population-based evidence for the association of paternal co-residence on exclusive breastfeeding in rural western China. We also attempt to detect how the process works by examining the correlation between the father's co-residence and breastfeeding family support as well as maternal decision-making power.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 nationally-designated poverty-stricken counties in the Qinba Mountains area in 2019. Data on breastfeeding practices, the status of fathers co-residence, breastfeeding family support, and maternal decision-making power were collected via structured questionnaires from 452 caregivers-infant pairs. Multivariate regressions were conducted to explore the correlation between paternal co-residence and exclusive breastfeeding.

Results: The exclusive breastfeeding (0-6 months) rate was 16% in rural western China. Fathers' co-residence was associated with a lower exclusive breastfeeding rate (OR = 0.413, 95% CI = 0.227-0.750, P = 0.004) and the rate did not improve when the father was the secondary caregiver. Even ruling out support from grandmothers, the association was still negative. Paternal co-residence did not improve maternal perceived breastfeeding family support, neither practically nor emotionally (β =0.109, P = 0.105; β =0.011,P = 0.791, respectively) and it reduced maternal decision-making power (β = - 0.196, P = 0.007).

Conclusions: Fathers' co-residence is negatively associated with the exclusive breastfeeding rates in rural western China. More skill-based practical and emotional strategies should be considered on father's education to help them better involvement and show more respect to mothers' decisions.

Keywords: Breastfeeding family support; Exclusive breastfeeding; Maternal decision-making power; Rural western China; father’s co-residence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Breast Feeding*
China
Cross-Sectional Studies
Fathers*
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Mothers
Surveys and Questionnaires