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Breastfeeding Practices (breastfeeding + practice)
Selected AbstractsInfluence of Knowledge and Attitudes on Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice Among Rural Jamaican MothersBIRTH, Issue 4 2004Leia M. Chatman BS The impact of knowledge about and attitude toward breastfeeding on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding is also poorly understood. The objective of this study was to gather information about factors that influence exclusive breastfeeding and its duration. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 health centers within the parish of Saint Ann, Jamaica. A pretested questionnaire collected information on breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes toward intention to breastfeed and other relevant sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Information was documented for 599 mother-child pairs. The prevalence of breastfeeding initiation was 98.2 percent; of mothers who initiated breastfeeding, 22.2 percent practiced it exclusively (at least 6 months). No difference occurred between exclusive and nonexclusive breastfeeding mothers in terms of knowledge about and attitudes toward breastfeeding. Of potential predictors assessed, the male partner's role as the main source of income for the family was the only significant predictor for exclusive breastfeeding. Women whose male partner was the main source of income for the family were twice as likely to exclusively breastfeed their infants compared with the referent group (mothers as main source of income)(OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.4,3.0). In addition, the dominant reason for partial breastfeeding was maternal anxiety that breastmilk alone might not provide sufficient nourishment. Conclusion: The level of exclusive breastfeeding was extremely low at the study site. Formulation of strategies to aggressively promote exclusive breastfeeding practices is urgently needed there. Such interventions should consider involvement of the male partner, especially, with respect to the financial support, as well as alleviating maternal anxiety regarding nutritional adequacy of breastmilk. [source] Rates of breastfeeding in Australia by State and socio-economic status: Evidence from the 1995 National Health SurveyJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 2 2000S Donath Objective: To estimate rates of breastfeeding in the first year of life in Australia, according to state and socio-economic status. Methodology: Analysis of data from the 1995 Australian National Health Survey. Results: Estimated breastfeeding rates are 81.8% on discharge from hospital, 57.1% fully breastfed at 3 months and 62.6% fully or partially breastfed at 3 months. At 6 months, it is estimated that 18.6% of babies are fully breastfed and 46.2% fully or partially breastfed. At 1 year, 21.2% of infants are receiving some breast milk. Comparison between states demonstrates that there is considerable variation in breastfeeding practice within Australia. Rates of breastfeeding also vary according to the socio-economic status of the geographic area in which the child is living, with a strong inverse relationship between rates of breastfeeding and socio-economic status. Conclusion: Australia's target for breastfeeding in the year 2000 is to have 80% of babies at least partially breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Although Australia has good rates of initiation of breastfeeding, these levels are not maintained over time, and it seems unlikely that we will reach the year 2000 targets. [source] Breastfeeding Rates in Hong Kong: A Comparison of the 1987 and 1997 Birth CohortsBIRTH, Issue 3 2002Gabriel M. Leung MD ABSTRACT: Background: Low breastfeeding rates are an issue of international public health concern. Anecdotal reports suggest very low breastfeeding rates in Asia, but no population-based studies have been conducted in the region. To determine the secular trend in breastfeeding practice in an Asian postindustrialized metropolitan community, we examined data from two population-based birth cohorts of Hong Kong infants in 1987 and 1997. Methods: Annual population rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration were estimated from the birth cohorts, considering the change in breastfeeding rates over 10 years with correction for sociodemographic and birth characteristics. Factors associated with breastfeeding practice were identified using multivariate logistic regression modeling in a pooled analysis of individual data of both cohorts. Results: Overall, 26.8 percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding in 1987, and the rate increased to 33.5 percent in 1997. The rate would have been 27.4 percent in 1987 if the distributions of method of delivery, birthweight, birth order, maternal age, education, and employment status had been the same as in 1997. Only 7.6 percent of infants remained on the breast for more than 1 month in 1987 compared with 20.4 percent a decade later. Similarly, the rate for breastfeeding more than 3 months increased from 3.9 to 10.3 percent. Total breastfeeding duration was significantly longer in 1997 than 10 years earlier. Conclusions: This is the first systematic report of secular variations of breastfeeding rates in Asia. Hong Kong should set higher but realistic goals for breastfeeding that emphasize both initiation and maintenance. Given the wide latitude for improvement in terms of readily modifiable risk factors, such as smoking and cesarean section, these new goals should focus on improving rates in these targeted groups where breastfeeding rates are lowest. (BIRTH 29:3 September 2002) [source] Early protein intakes and adiposity: reloaded or downloaded?ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2004E Riva It has been hypothesized that feeding human milk through the first year of life may have a protective effect towards a later adiposity development, in contrast with formula feeding. The low protein content of human milk has been hypothesized as a plausible biological hypothesis. Regardless, it is often underscored that feeding human milk is associated with a higher rate of weight gain in the first two months of life. Conclusion: In our opinion, it seems that the protective effect of human milk, if any, on adiposity development is far more complex, and tightly bound to the peculiarity of human milk composition and breastfeeding practice. [source] Bed-sharing practices of initially breastfed infants in the first 6 months of lifeINFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2007Helen L. BallArticle first published online: 28 AUG 200 Abstract This paper explores the manner in which bed-sharing is practised by breastfeeding infants in the UK, and examines how alternate definitions and interpretations of breastfeeding and bed-sharing can lead to confusion in understanding what bed-sharing entails. Longitudinal studies on parent,infant bed-sharing practices are scarce, but are vital to our understanding of normative bed-sharing behaviour. We present data from a longitudinal study of sleeping and feeding practices in England involving 97 initially breastfed infants from birth to 6 months of age whose behaviour was monitored weekly for a 6-month period. Results demonstrate that bed-sharing practices covary with breastfeeding practices, and that a single model of bed-sharing behaviour does not adequately reflect the experience of all infants. Our findings have ramifications for the way in which case,control studies attempt to ,measure' bed-sharing, and our understanding and interpretation of bed-sharing risk factors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Infant Feeding Intentions scale demonstrates construct validity and comparability in quantifying maternal breastfeeding intentions across multiple ethnic groupsMATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION, Issue 3 2010Laurie A. Nommsen-Rivers Abstract Research tools that are comparable across ethnic groups are needed in order to understand sociodemographic disparities in breastfeeding rates. The Infant Feeding Intentions (IFI) scale provides a quantitative measure of maternal breastfeeding intentions. IFI score ranges from 0 (no intention to breastfeed) to 16 (very strong intentions to fully breastfeed for 6 months). The objective of this study was to examine intra- and inter-ethnic validity of the IFI scale. The IFI scale was administered to 218 white non-Hispanic, 75 African-American, 80 English-speaking Hispanic, 62 Spanish-speaking Hispanic and 64 Asian expectant primiparae. Participants were asked their planned duration of providing breast milk as the sole source of milk (full breastfeeding). The IFI scale was examined for intra-ethnic internal consistency and construct validity and for inter-ethnic comparability. For all five ethnic categories, principal component analysis separated the scale into the same two factors: intention to initiate breastfeeding and intention to continue full breastfeeding. Across ethnic categories, the range in Cronbach's alpha was 0.70,0.85 for the initiation factor and 0.90,0.93 for the continuation factor. Within each ethnic category, IFI score increased as planned duration of full breastfeeding increased (P < 0.0001 for all). Within the planned duration categories of <1, 1,3, 3,6 and ,6 months, the median IFI score by ethnic category ranged from (low,high) 5,8, 9,10, 12,14 and 16,16, respectively. The IFI scale provides a valid measure of breastfeeding intentions in diverse populations of English- and Spanish-speaking primiparae, and may be a useful tool when researching disparities in breastfeeding practices. [source] Buddhist nuns on the move: an innovative approach to improving breastfeeding practices in CambodiaMATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION, Issue 1 2007Benjamin T. Crookston Abstract The benefits of initiating breastfeeding in the first hour of life and exclusively breastfeeding thereafter are well documented. However, little is known about how best to promote these practices. In this study, we assess the impact of Buddhist nuns and wat (pagoda) grannies on optimal breastfeeding behaviours in rural Cambodia. We did so by interviewing randomly selected mothers of infants less than 6 months of age. A total of 440 mothers in programme and control communities completed the baseline survey (before programme start-up), and 467 mothers responded 1 year later. Mothers' exposure to breastfeeding promotion activities was high. At follow-up, 76% of mothers in programme communities indicated that nuns had advised them about breastfeeding, 73% received a home visit and 72% reported attending an educational session. At baseline, mothers in programme communities were 11% more likely (RR = 1.11, CI: 0.74,1.68) than mothers in control communities to initiate breastfeeding in the first hour of life. At follow-up, they were 62% more likely (RR = 1.62, CI: 1.30,2.01) to do so. Similarly, at baseline, mothers in programme communities were 54% more likely (RR = 1.54, CI: 1.21,1.96) than mothers in control communities to breastfeed exclusively in the previous 24 h. At follow-up, they were 81% more likely (RR = 1.81, CI: 1.49,2.21) to do so. Programme planners may consider using community-based volunteers as one strategy to improve breastfeeding practices and child survival. [source] Influence of Knowledge and Attitudes on Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice Among Rural Jamaican MothersBIRTH, Issue 4 2004Leia M. Chatman BS The impact of knowledge about and attitude toward breastfeeding on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding is also poorly understood. The objective of this study was to gather information about factors that influence exclusive breastfeeding and its duration. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 health centers within the parish of Saint Ann, Jamaica. A pretested questionnaire collected information on breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes toward intention to breastfeed and other relevant sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Information was documented for 599 mother-child pairs. The prevalence of breastfeeding initiation was 98.2 percent; of mothers who initiated breastfeeding, 22.2 percent practiced it exclusively (at least 6 months). No difference occurred between exclusive and nonexclusive breastfeeding mothers in terms of knowledge about and attitudes toward breastfeeding. Of potential predictors assessed, the male partner's role as the main source of income for the family was the only significant predictor for exclusive breastfeeding. Women whose male partner was the main source of income for the family were twice as likely to exclusively breastfeed their infants compared with the referent group (mothers as main source of income)(OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.4,3.0). In addition, the dominant reason for partial breastfeeding was maternal anxiety that breastmilk alone might not provide sufficient nourishment. Conclusion: The level of exclusive breastfeeding was extremely low at the study site. Formulation of strategies to aggressively promote exclusive breastfeeding practices is urgently needed there. Such interventions should consider involvement of the male partner, especially, with respect to the financial support, as well as alleviating maternal anxiety regarding nutritional adequacy of breastmilk. [source] Breastfeeding promotion in non-UNICEF-certified hospitals and long-term breastfeeding success in GermanyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2003M Dulon Aim: To assess breastfeeding practices using the World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF) Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for Baby-Friendly Hospitals in unselected non-UNICEF certified German hospitals and to examine the influences of breastfeeding promotion on long-term breastfeeding success as assessed by WHO criteria. Methods: Information on the fulfilment of the Ten Steps was collected in 177 randomly chosen maternity hospitals by a postal questionnaire. Breastfeeding duration was assessed in 1487 mothers delivering in these hospitals. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the association between a low breastfeeding promotion index, defined as fulfilment of fewer than five steps, and the risk of short-term breastfeeding, less than 4 mo. Results: A higher breastfeeding promotion index was not associated with early breastfeeding but was significantly associated with full breastfeeding at 4 and 6 mo. After adjusting for confounding factors, delivering in a hospital with a low breastfeeding promotion index was associated with an increased risk of short-term breastfeeding [odds ratio (OR) 1.24], although associations with maternal demographic variables (young age: OR 3.34), low educational level (OR 2.81) and upbringing in East Germany (OR 2.27) were stronger. Conclusion: In unselected German hospitals even moderate levels of breastfeeding promotion identified by WHO/UNICEF criteria were associated with long-term breastfeeding success. [source] | ||||||||||