Termination Of Breastfeeding Research Articles

Infant feeding in urban low‐income households in Ethiopia: I. The weaning process

Data on infant feeding and weaning among low‐income urban households in Ethiopia are presented. Prolonged breastfeeding remains universal among all ethnic and religious groups represented. Both cultural factors and economic constraints militate against the use of commercial infant foods and against early supplementation. Survival data analysis shows that weaning is initiated at the mean age of 9.2 months, and completed at the median age of 20.0 months. The seasonal availability of weaning foods influences the commencement of weaning. The local concept of weaning places emphasis on the termination of breastfeeding rather than on supplementation, or the introduction of weaning foods. As a result, weaning foods are basic and monotonous. The evidence suggests that weaning is a gradual process for the majority of cases.

Constraints on weaning: evidence from Ethiopia and Sudan

Evidence on infant weaning processes provided by field research in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and among a refugee population of Eritreans in the Sudan is presented. The study in Addis Ababa, where households were economically disadvantaged but the situation was nutritionally stable, allowed the identification of factors constraining weaning, which includes both the introduction of supplementary foods and the termination of breast-feeding. While the timing of each aspect of weaning was the outcome of the interaction between mother and infant factors, 'infant-centred' factors were more important in the commencement and 'mother-centred' factors in the completion of weaning. The refugee population had in normal times a similar weaning regime, but under the unstable conditions of flight and life in a refugee camp the process had been significantly altered. Investigation of the factors which have led to altered weaning processes elaborates and confirms the model derived from the Addis Ababa study.

Breast-feeding patterns and socioeconomic status in the city of São Paulo.

Current breastfeeding patterns in the City of Sao Paulo were determined from a random sample of 1016 children under 5 years of age between 1984 and 1985. Although breastfeeding is started for the majority of children its medium duration does not exceed 4 months for overall breastfeeding and about 2 months for exclusive breastfeeding. Unlike the patterns usually found in developing countries the rates of breastfeeding during the 1st 6 months of life are significantly higher among the high socioeconomic strata in whom rates for exclusive breastfeeding are particularly impressive. Certain characteristics of local public health services such as the extremely high incidence of deliveries by caesarean section (47.3% of all deliveries) virtual non-existence of rooming-in and indescriminate distribution of powdered milk to children under 1 year of age could explain in part the high incidence of early termination of breastfeeding. The direct association between breastfeeding and socioeconomic status may have been determined by a greater impact of the national breastfeeding campaign since 1981 on mothers in this social group. (authors modified)

Traditional child spacing practices of women: Experiences from a primary care project in Lagos, Nigeria

The study carried out within the target population of a Primary Care Project in Lagos, Nigeria, found that some changes had occurred. The traditional length of abstinence has decreased, and more women now resume sex before termination of breast-feeding. This should give rise to some concern especially if the level of adoption of modern contraception does not rise correspondingly. Other changes regarding the opinion of mothers about some of the practices, and the danger of the current trend of starting infant formula earlier in the post partum period are discussed.

A prospective study of individual courses of breast feeding.

A prospective study of the course of breast feeding was carried out in 75 randomly selected women. Weekly interviews were performed from the day after delivery until the termination of breast feeding, but in no case for longer than 6 months. In each case a detailed analysis was made of the factors leading to transient lactation crises or to complete cessation of breast feeding. A second group of 71 mothers, also randomly selected, was interviewed in retrospect only, 6 months after delivery, and served as controls. Twenty-four weeks after delivery 47% of the mothers in the weekly interview group were still breast feeding. The corresponding figure in the control group was 38%. In both groups only few mothers terminated lactation for medical reasons, while about one fourth stopped for some other reason and about one half because of a combination of factors. Brief case reports are presented to illustrate how varying the factors were that threatened breast feeding.

Present trends in breast feeding

SummarySome recent trends in breast feeding in industrialized countries are summarized and exemplified mainly by research findings of different Swedish studies. In particular, the causes of early termination of breast feeding are discussed, and examples are given of how attempts have been made to promote breastfeeding in such countries.

The Decline of Breast Feeding in Brazil

Data is provided on the present situation regarding the practice of breast feeding in the Far South of Brazil. The survey was performed at the South Area of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. 90% of the patients are from families of very low income. For children up to age 3 years visiting outpatient departments of the Santa Casa Hospital at Pelotas RS Brazil and of the Santo Antonio Childrens Hospital at Porto Alegre RS Brazil a special survey was conducted. It included data on childrens age sex place of residence real type of feeding time that the baby lies in a separate nursery and time of hospitalization in the maternity unit. The survey included 1100 mothers of normal full term infants mostly from peri-urban communities. 66% of mothers breast fed their infants 24 hours after birth with a range of 12-72 hours. Practically all mothers had a lying-in period of 48-72 hours. The high rates of early termination of breast feeding reported in the survey have multiple causes--cultural psychological economical and commercial. This marked decline of breast feeding has serious consequences to infant and childrens health in developing countries. Diarrheal disease and protein-calorie malnutrition in the 1st year of life are probably related to this early age of weaning. There is an urgent need to realistically approach the decline of breast feeding in the developing world working toward national improvement programs on breast feeding.