Table 1 Characteristics of the 409 participating women and factors associated on bivariate analysis with awareness of the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for six months or the intention to meet the recommendations
Characteristics | N = 409 n^ (%) | Aware of recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding N = 249 | Intend to meet the recommendation N = 170 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Â | n (row %) | P# | n (row %) | P## |
Age | Â | Â | < 0.001 | Â | 0.24 |
   <20 | 54 (13) | 21 (39) |  | 18 (33) |  |
   20-24 | 121 (30) | 71 (59) |  | 48 (40) |  |
   25-29 | 139 (34) | 89 (64) |  | 56 (40) |  |
   30-34 | 62 (15) | 42 (68) |  | 33 (53) |  |
   ≥35 | 33 (8) | 26 (79) |  | 15 (46) |  |
Marital status | Â | Â | 0.005 | Â | 0.003 |
   Married/de facto partner | 354 (87) | 225 (64) |  | 157 (44) |  |
   Never married | 53 (13) | 23 (43) |  | 12 (23) |  |
Employment status | Â | Â | 0.06 | Â | 0.02 |
   Employed | 36 (9) | 25 (69) |  | 21(58) |  |
   Paid maternity leave | 77 (19) | 57 (74) |  | 38 (49) |  |
   Unpaid maternity leave | 111 (27) | 70 (63) |  | 50 (45) |  |
   Unemployed | 88 (21) | 46 (52) |  | 25 (28) |  |
   Home duties | 68 (17) | 36 (53) |  | 27 (40) |  |
   Student | 15 (4) | 8 (53) |  | 6 (40) |  |
   Other | 13 (3) | 7 (54) |  | 3 (23) |  |
Education level | Â | Â | < 0.001 | Â | 0.25 |
   Completed primary school to school certificate | 86 (21) | 38 (44) |  | 28 (33) |  |
   HSC to TAFE certificate or diploma* | 229 (56) | 138 (60) |  | 98 (43) |  |
   Completed University/tertiary education | 92 (23) | 71 (77) |  | 43 (47) |  |
Country of birth | Â | Â | 0.91 | Â | 0.97 |
   Australia | 274 (67) | 166 (61) |  | 114 (42) |  |
   Other | 134 (33) | 82 (61) |  | 56 (42) |  |
Language spoken at home | Â | Â | 0.68 | Â | 0.24 |
   English | 364 (89) | 220 (60) |  | 148 (41) |  |
   Other | 44 (11) | 28 (64) |  | 22 (50) |  |
Anticipated time back to work or study after giving birth** | Â | Â | 0.18 | Â | 0.53 |
   ≤ 3 months | 39 (11) | 17 (44) |  | 15 (39) |  |
   4-6 months | 75 (21) | 44 (59) |  | 25 (33) |  |
   7-12 months | 79 (22) | 50 (63) |  | 34 (43) |  |
   After 12 months/don't plan to go back | 141 (39) | 89 (63) |  | 64 (45) |  |
   Don't know | 26 (7) | 18 (69) |  | 11 (42) |  |
Aware of recommended duration of exclusive breastfeeding | Â | Â | Â | Â | < 0.001 |
   Yes | 249 (61) |  |  | 153 (61) |  |
   No | 160 (39) |  |  | 17 (11) |  |
Intend to meet the recommendation | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   Yes | 170 (42) |  |  |  |  |
   No | 239 (58) |  |  |  |  |