Objective To understand motivation of maternal breastfeeding self-regulation and its influencing factors, so as to provide reference for conducting breastfeeding intervention to extend breastfeeding time. Methods A total of 201 women (in the late pregnancy or postpartum 42 days) visiting the perinatal health clinic were selected using convenience sampling method, then they were investigated utilizing the simplified Chinese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Regulation Questionnaire (BSRQ). Results Maternal BSRQ score was (18.26±3.29). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, age, maternal stage, whether received breastfeeding guidance during pregnancy were the main factors influencing the motivation of maternal breastfeeding self-regulation (P<0.01 for all). Conclusion The motivation of maternal breastfeeding self-regulation is at a medium level. Medical staff should assess mothers′ motivation of breastfeeding self-regulation, identify the key factors that have a positive impact on it, and conduct targeted intervention to improve maternal breastfeeding motivation and extend duration of breastfeeding.