BACKGROUND The health benefits of breastfeeding are well documented in public health and medical literature worldwide. Despite this, global rates of breastfeeding steadily decline during the first couple of months postpartum. Although immigrant women have higher initiation rates and a longer duration of breastfeeding overall, breastfeeding practices are compromised because of a myriad of socioe...

INTRODUCTION Breast feeding is associated with many health benefits for mothers and infants. But despite extensive public health efforts to promote breast feeding, many mothers do not achieve their own breastfeeding goals; and, inequities in breastfeeding rates persist between high and low-income mother-infant dyads. Developing targeted programme to support breastfeeding dyads and reduce inequi...

UNLABELLED PASSIVE RESISTANCE: Early experiences of midwifery students/graduates and the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) 10 steps to successful breastfeeding. RESEARCH QUESTION What factors, in relation to the BFHI 10 steps to successful breastfeeding, influence the development of breastfeeding support practice for beginning practitioner midwives? PROCEDURES Newly graduated midwives ...

Study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers attending a south Indian hospital towards breastfeeding. This cross sectional study was conducted on mothers of children, attending outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital, SRM Medical College, Tamil Nadu. They were administered a pre-designed questionnaire of twenty questions related to breastfeeding. A to...

Breastfeeding is an important concept in the maternal life of a woman. In this paper, we focus on exclusive breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding is the feeding of a baby on no other milk apart from breast milk. This type of breastfeeding is very important during the first six months because it supports optimal growth and development during infancy and reduces the risk of obliterating diseases...

Breastfeeding and weaning practices are crucial for optimal growth and development during infancy. The resolution (WHA 54.2) urges Member States to support exclusive breastfeeding for first six months as a global public health recommendation(1). Continuous vigilance over infant feeding practices in community is necessary for timely interventions to ensure optimal growth and development. This st...

BACKGROUND In spite of the evidence supporting the importance of breastfeeding during the first year of life, data on breastfeeding practices remain limited in Canada. The study aimed to examine the prevalence and predictors of 6-month exclusive breastfeeding among Canadian women. METHODS The analysis was based on the Maternity Experience Survey targeting women aged >or= 15 years who had sing...

Although a large majority of US mothers now begin breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding rates fall far below national health objectives, with vulnerable populations being least likely to breastfeed exclusively. This article explores common personal and societal barriers to exclusive breastfeeding and offers evidence-based strategies to support mothers to breastfeed exclusively, such as ensurin...

BACKGROUND There have been considerable changes in breastfeeding practices in China over the past forty years. However China is a very large country, and breastfeeding rates in different parts of China vary considerably. The objective of this paper is to identify and compare breastfeeding types and rates between 1994-1996 and 2003-2004 in Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, PR China. M...

Despite its established benefits, breastfeeding is no longer a norm in many communities. Multifactorial determinants of breastfeeding need supportive measures at many levels, from legal and policy directives to social attitudes and values, women's work and employment conditions, and health-care services to enable women to breastfeed. When relevant interventions are delivered adequately, breastf...