ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the current status of women′s level of birth experience and lactation initiation time and explore the effect of level of birth experience on lactation initiation time.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sampling method was used to select 622 maternal cases attending the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College from November, 2020 to January, 2021, and the distribution of their labor experience level and lactation initiation time was investigated by questionnaire and follow-up assessment.Results:There were 622 women with transvaginal deliveries who had lactation initiation times of more than 72 h in 241 cases (38.75%). The scores for each dimension of the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) were (49.63 ± 8.58)points, and the scores for each dimension of CEQ were perceived safety, professional support, involvement and self-efficacy in descending order. The results of the correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between the scores on each dimension of CEQ and the total score and lactation initiation time ( r values were -0.436 to -0.146, all P<0.01). Stratified regression analysis showed that after controlling for age, number of births, gestational weeks of labour, illness during pregnancy and labour analgesia as the underlying variables affecting lactation initiation time, the scores for self-efficacy, involvement, perceived safety and professional support in the CEQ all affected lactation initiation time after delivery ( t values were -6.76 to -2.02, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The birth experience and lactation of women who deliver via vaginal birth need to be taken into account. The more negative the birth experience, the longer the lactation initiation time. The women′s involvement in the birth process, their own competence, perceived safety and level of professional support are all valid influencing indicators of lactation initiation time.