Results of a survey of mothers helped to clarify the reasons for the "failure" of breastfeeding in the Russian Federation

Abstract

Background. Breast milk is the most important food for the infant. A strong body of evidence now exists to show the health benefits of breastfeeding (BF) for infants. There is a growing conviction among some of today's young mothers to remain naturally breastfed and to fight for every drop of milk. However, despite UNICEF's investment in programmes to support the sustainability of breastfeeding, there is no consistent trend towards increased longevity.
 Aim. We seek to understand in detail the reasons behind the obstacles to successful, long-term breastfeeding in every single region of Russia.
 Materials and methods. We surveyed 801 women who had completed breastfeeding and selected the most comprehensive 459 questionnaires.
 Results. Analysis of the obtained data allowed us to identify a number of predictors of premature lactation completion, to identify conditions under which women are able to breastfeed their infants for a long time, and to reveal a number of "pain points" of BF in our country.
 Conclusion. We call upon paediatricians to improve their knowledge and to become specialists in the area of breastfeeding by focusing their preventive work on safeguarding and supporting breastfeeding.