Objective: To explore the association between breastfeeding support and breastfeeding among late preterm (gestation 34–36 weeks) and term (gestation ≥37 weeks) infants. Methods: Secondary analysis of the UK 2010 Infant Feeding Survey. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of breastfeeding support with breastfeeding at 10 days and 6 weeks in late preterm and term infants. Results: The study included 14 525 term and 579 late preterm infants. A total of 11 729 infants initiated breastfeeding (11 292 (81.1%) term, 437 (79.4%) late preterm infants, p=0.425). Of these, 9230 (84.3%) term and 365 (85.6%) late preterm infants were breastfeeding at 10 days ( p=0.586); of these 7547 (82.0%) term and 281 (75.4%) late preterm infants were still breastfeeding at 6 weeks ( p=0.012). Mothers who reported receiving contact details for breastfeeding support groups had a higher likelihood of breastfeeding late preterm (adjusted ORs, aOR 3.14, 95% CI 1.40 to 7.04) and term infants (aOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.86 to 2.68) at 10 days and term infants at 6 weeks (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.51 to 2.22). Those who reported that they did not receive enough help with breastfeeding in hospital had a lower likelihood of breastfeeding late preterm at 10 days and term infants at 10 days and 6 weeks, compared to those who reported having enough help. Conclusions: Receiving sufficient help with breastfeeding in hospital and the contact details for breastfeeding support groups is associated with breastfeeding term infants up to 6 weeks and late preterm infants at 10 days. INTRODUCTION Infants born between 34+0 and 36+6 weeks gestation are increasingly described as ‘late preterm’. 1 This highlights that despite their size and weight often being similar to term infants, they are physiologically relatively immature,2 with higher rates of morbidity and mortality2–4 compared to term infants. Breastfeeding protects against gastrointestinal5–10 and respiratory illnesses9–12 and is associated with better cognitive development in childhood, particularly in preterm infants.13 Despite potential benefits for this group, late preterm infants experience lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and continuation compared to term infants.14 15 The WHO and UK Departments of Health recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.16 Although 81% of UK mothers initiate breastfeeding, this rapidly Strengths and limitations of this study ▪ Secondary data analysis of a large national survey and one of the first studies to specifically compare the role of breastfeeding support, as perceived by the mother, in late preterm and term infants. ▪ Mothers were oversampled from the most deprived quintile of the Index for Multiple Deprivation in the original survey. The use of survey weights in this study allowed for the oversampling and also non-response, thereby ensuring adequate representation of this difficult to reach group. ▪ An extensive range of confounding factors were considered and adjusted for in the analysis including ethnicity, socioeconomic status, marital status and age mother left full time education. This is important as breastfeeding is known to be associated with a number of sociodemographic factors. ▪ This study is retrospective in design with the Infant Feeding Survey being completed by parental self-report of both breastfeeding support and breastfeeding duration when the infants were approximately 6 weeks old, therefore, the results of this analysis may be limited by recall bias or potentially a socially desirable response bias and it is not possible to infer causality. ▪ Infants classified as breastfeeding in this study are likely to represent a very heterogeneous group, ranging from primarily breastfed infants to infants receiving minimal breastmilk. Rayfield S, et al. BMJ Open 2015;5:e009144. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009144 1 Open Access Research on February 1, 2022 by guest. Protected by copyright. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/ BMJ Open: first published as 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009144 on 13 November 2015. Downloaded from drops to 55% at 6 weeks and 34% at 6 months, with less than 1% of infants exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months.17 Predictors of breastfeeding success in highincome countries include non-white ethnicity,18 19 increasing maternal age20–22 and higher age of leaving full time education.20 22 Similar sociodemographic patterns have been shown in late preterm infants23 although in general, evidence regarding breastfeeding in late preterm infants is limited. Breastfeeding support is recommended in the Baby