The present study sought to investigate the potential associa- tion between breast-feeding initiation and socio-demographic, lifestyle-related, clinical and lactation-related factors in a typical Southern European country like Greece, and explore how suscep- tible these factors may be to public health policies, in light of the new economic reality present in Southern Europe.
The results of the study confirmed the importance of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, caesarean section, previous breast-feeding experience, informing and encouraging women to breast feed, rooming-in and immigrant status for the initiation of breast feeding. Other indicators of socio-economic status were not associated with breast-feeding initiation, suggesting that the significant economic crisis experienced by the middle and lower classes in Greece during the last three years may not be reflected in mothers' decisions to breast feed.