Abstract: Objective To study the influencing factors of breastfeeding within six months among postpartum women with delayed lactation initiation. Methods Taking postpartum women with delayed lactation initiation from three hospitals in Dazu District, Chongqing City, from January 2021 to December 2021 for this study. The age, occupation, delivery times, delivery mode, gestational week, nipple flat/sag, suckling frequency, delayed lactation time, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, postpartum fatigue, and other conditions of women with delayed lactation initiation were descriptive analyzed. Using WeChat, telephone, and online questionnaires to followed the breastfeeding status of postpartum women for six months and analyzed the influencing factors of continued breastfeeding for postpartum women with delayed lactation initiation through univariate and multivariate analysis methods. Results Among the 1 064 cases of delayed lactation initiation, the majority were ≥35 years old, primipara, and cesarean section, accounting for 62.12%, 66.92% and 56.02%, respectively. The breastfeeding rate within six months after delivery was 20.58% （219/1 064）. There were statistically significant differences in breastfeeding rates within six months after delivery among women with delayed lactation initiation with different ages, delivery times, nipple flat/sag, suckling frequency, delayed lactation time, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, postpartum fatigue, and breastfeeding education （P<0.05 or P<0.01）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that age （OR=0.394）, delivery times （OR=1.050）, nipple flat/sag （OR=0.409）, suckling frequency （OR=3.904）, delayed lactation time （OR=0.386）, postpartum anxiety （OR=0.561）, postpartum depression （OR=0.692）, postpartum fatigue （OR=0.489）, and breastfeeding education （OR=1.881） were influencing factors of breastfeeding within 6 months after delivery among women with delayed lactation initiation. Conclusions In Dazu District of Chongqing, the breastfeeding rate among postpartum women with delayed lactation initiation needs to be improved, which is caused by multiple factors. Therefore, high-risk groups should be identified and targeted interventions should be strengthened, such as providing breastfeeding guidance, postpartum psychological counseling and early fatigue assessment to improve the breastfeeding rate among women with delayed lactation initiation within six months after delivery, and to promote long-term breastfeeding improvement.

Key words: Delayed lactation initiation, Postpartum woman, Breastfeeding, Influencing factor