Table 1

Sociodemographic characteristics of study sample by breast feeding status during hospital stay at baseline

Mothers who breast fedMothers who did not breast feedP value
N=6373 (85.1%)N=1118 (14.9%)
Age, mean (SD)29.2 (5.8)27.7 (6.3)<0.001
Age categories, %<0.001
 19 or less4.29.3
 20–3476.873.1
 35–3914.814
 40 or more4.33.6
Region of birth, %<0.001
 Oceania90.495.3
 Asia/Africa/Middle East73.4
 All else2.61.3
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, %5.610.7<0.001
Relative index of inequality, %<0.001
 First quintile (lowest SES)32.342.9
 Second quintile6.26
 Third quintile27.424.2
 Fourth quintile13.712.4
 Fifth quintile (highest SES)20.414.5
Body mass index, %<0.001
 Underweight<18.523.1
 Normal weight18.5–24.942.530.5
 Overweight25.0–29.927.926.2
 Obese class I30.0–34.915.519.4
 Obese class II35.0–39.9710.8
 Obese class III≥40.05.29.9
Past or current smoking, %18.938.8<0.001
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy (any quantity), %2.83.70.096
  • SES, socioeconomic status.