Abstract
Background: Breastfeeding is nurture and nutrition for every child, but the extent to which it influences parenting is controversial. Aim: To examine the effect of early breastfeeding practices in relation to child discipline and childcare. Methods: Global data from was examined from 52 provinces in four countries. The data included: early initiation of breastfeeding [EIBF] in the first hour and the first day, offering prelacteals, exclusive breastfeeding [EBF] and continued breastfeeding [CBF]. Parenting practices included exposure to psychological aggression and physical punishment and attitudes to physical punishment for rearing in children 1-14 years. Childcare indices included child left alone, with care of a child less than 10 years and with inadequate caregiver. Correlative studies and descriptive statistical analysis were done. Results: EBI within the first hour of birth was significantly correlated with non-violent discipline [r0.5] P<0.05 and being left alone in the past week [r0.7] P<0.01 and inversely with psychological aggression [r0.4] and minor physical punishment [r-0.4] at P>0.05. EBF inversely correlated with psychological [r-0.5] and minor physical punishment [r-0.4] and being left alone in the past week [r-0.5] at P<0.05. Longer duration of breastfeeding for 12 and 24 months correlated inversely with severe physical punishment [r-0.6 at P<0.01 and r-0.5 at P<0.05 respectively]. CBF for two years was also negatively correlated with being left alone [r0.5 at P>0.05]. Variations between countries in parenting styles and adequacy of childcare related to breastfeeding patterns. Conclusions: Breastfeeding is protective against violent parenting styles and enhances adequacy of childcare. Exposure to operative delivery with anesthesia may interfere with EIBF and negatively influence parenting.
Highlights
In the mid-1900s the boom of industrialized milk feeding patterns in many countries, made breastfeeding appear as a replaceable option for infant feeding and child nurturing, on the assumption that breastfeeding was merely a process of nutrition and not rearing
EBI within the first hour of birth was significantly correlated with non-violent discipline [r0.5] P
Data about parenting included child exposed to nonviolent discipline, child exposed to psychological aggression, child exposed to any or severe physical punishment and child exposed to any form of violent discipline
Summary
In the mid-1900s the boom of industrialized milk feeding patterns in many countries, made breastfeeding appear as a replaceable option for infant feeding and child nurturing, on the assumption that breastfeeding was merely a process of nutrition and not rearing. Breastfeeding is nurture and nutrition for every child, but the extent to which it influences parenting is controversial. Aim: To examine the effect of early breastfeeding practices in relation to child discipline and childcare. Parenting practices included exposure to psychological aggression and physical punishment and attitudes to physical punishment for rearing in children 1-14 years. Childcare indices included child left alone, with care of a child less than 10 years and with inadequate caregiver. EBF inversely correlated with psychological [r-0.5] and minor physical punishment [r-0.4] and being left alone in the past week [r-0.5] at P0.05]. Variations between countries in parenting styles and adequacy of childcare related to breastfeeding patterns. Conclusions: Breastfeeding is protective against violent parenting styles and enhances adequacy of childcare. Exposure to operative delivery with anesthesia may interfere with EIBF and negatively influence parenting
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