Breastfeeding competency and its influencing factors among pregnant women in third trimester pregnancy: a cross-sectional study

Competency is closely related to the occurrence of the behavior. Breastfeeding competence is the mastery of different breastfeeding factors which intervene in breastfeeding behavior. Breastfeeding competence could improve the breastfeeding behavior. However, few studies have paid attention to the status and the influencing factors of breastfeeding competency. The breastfeeding competency of pregnant women in third trimester pregnancy has the greatest impact on breastfeeding behavior after childbirth. Therefore, the objective of this study were to investigate the breastfeeding competency level and independent risk factors for breastfeeding competency among pregnant women in third trimester pregnancy. A cross-sectional survey method and convenience sampling method was used in the study. The general information questionnaire including age, gestational week, educational background, and so on were used to investigate the general information of pregnant women and their husbands. A breastfeeding competency scale (BCS) was used to investigate the breastfeeding competency of pregnant women. The total score of the BCS ranges from 38 to 190, with higher scores indicating greater breastfeeding competency. Lower level, medium level and higher level are 38–89, 90–140 and 141–190 respectively. Type-D Scale-14 (DS14) was used to investigate the type D personality of pregnant women. A multivariable linear regression was used to examine the independent predictors of breastfeeding competency. A total of 550 questionnaires were collected and finally 525 effective questionnaires were collected. The age of 525 pregnant women is (30.24 ± 3.954) years old. The breastfeeding competency score of pregnant women was (134 ± 19.741). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that higher breastfeeding competency in pregnant women were reported among pregnant women who gestational age ≥ 256 days (37 weeks) (B = 8.494, p < 0.001), the previous breastfeeding experience were exclusive breastfeeding (B = 17.384, p < 0.001) and partial breastfeeding (B = 16.878, p < 0.001), participating in pregnant women school 2–3 times (B = 10.968, p = 0.013) and ≥ 5 times (B = 13.731, p = 0.034). Pregnant women with lower breastfeeding competency were found in women who were judged to have type D personality (B = − 6.358, p < 0.001). The result can explain 25.8% of the variation in the total breastfeeding competency score. This should be considered an important issue by maternal and child health care in the medical system that the moderate level of breastfeeding capacity among pregnant women. Differentiated and targeted breastfeeding support and services for pregnant women should be carried out based on influencing factors of breastfeeding competency.