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Background & Aims: Breast milk is the best food for infants due to physiological and psychological benefits to mother and child. However, breastfeeding in Iran decreases with increasing infant age from month to month. So, the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and pattern and its effective factors. Materials & Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 350 women who were admitted to the postpartum unit of Kowsar hospital during the last 24 hours. Sampling was done in two steps. The demographic and obstetric questionnaire and breastfeeding self-efficacy scale were completed in the hospital and then Then, at the two time (1 and 3 months after delivery), the breastfeeding checklist was completed by telephone. Data were analyzed by t-test, Chi-square and logistic regression. Results: Of the participants in the study, 88.3% had breastfeeding initiation in the hospital, and in the third month after delivery, 78% had exclusive breastfeeding yet. Breastfeeding self-efficacy was not optimal (57.28 ± 7.65). Initiation of prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy, the start of breastfeeding in 1 hour postpartum and breastfeeding self-efficacy predicted exclusive breastfeeding in the third month after birth. Conclusion: Efforts to encourage mothers to breastfeed intervene to enhance breastfeeding self-efficacy and also paying attention to the position of health personnel in promoting breastfeeding should be included in public health policies to prevent early breastfeeding cessation.  

Keywords: exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding self-efficacy, Predictors

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