{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,16]],"date-time":"2026-06-16T05:54:17Z","timestamp":1781589257277,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,16]],"date-time":"2026-06-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781568000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Maternal-infant separation hinders breastfeeding and may reduce breastfeeding success. This study investigated breastfeeding-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among mothers who experienced separation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional study using a self-administered KAP questionnaire was conducted in Shanxi Bethune Hospital from November to December 2024.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 513 mothers were included (effective response rate of 96.4%); 52.63% used mixed feeding and 68.76% were within 42 days postpartum. Median (interquartile ranges) scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 23 (22\u201325), 35 (32\u201337), and 44 (40\u201347), respectively. Most mothers (68.97%) reported that separation affected breastfeeding, and work environment (40.35%) and family support (38.40%) were major influencing factors. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed that knowledge was negatively correlated with attitude (r = \u22120.521,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001) and practice (r = \u22120.509,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001), whereas attitude was positively correlated with practice (r = 0.470,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, vaginal delivery (OR = 0.624, 95% CI: 0.406\u20130.960) and completed maternal-infant separation (OR = 0.528, 95% CI: 0.340\u20130.821) were independently associated with knowledge level. Compared with those currently experiencing separation, participants who had completed separation demonstrated significantly more positive attitudes (OR = 1.815, 95% CI: 1.155\u20132.854) and practices (OR = 1.915, 95% CI: 1.219\u20133.007,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.005).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Mothers experiencing maternal-infant separation demonstrated limited breastfeeding knowledge but maintained positive attitudes and proactive practices. Although causal inference cannot be established in this cross-sectional study, the unexpected negative correlations between knowledge and both attitude and practice suggest that higher knowledge may reflect reactive, problem-driven learning under separation-related stress rather than a linear progression from knowledge to behavior. Targeted breastfeeding support that reinforces existing motivation may improve outcomes. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify these relationships.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1776575","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,16]],"date-time":"2026-06-16T05:39:32Z","timestamp":1781588372000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Knowledge, attitude, and practice of breastfeeding among mothers experiencing maternal-infant separation: a cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Yaru","family":"Xu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital","place":["Taiyuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ruiqi","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital","place":["Taiyuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xi","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital","place":["Taiyuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xianmei","family":"Cui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital","place":["Taiyuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhiqing","family":"Yao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gynecologic, Xiangfen County People's Hospital","place":["Linfen, 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