In Hindu communities, breastfeeding is nearly universal and continues for most children beyond infancy. This review examines the religious and cultural basis for the contemporary breastfeeding practices amongst the Hindu. Practices at the time of birth and feeding rituals like prelacteal feeds, importance and timing of complementary feeds, and protections for the breastfeeding mother are examin...

background: breastfeeding has been recognized to have a great deal of benefits for both the mothers and infants. moreover, the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life has been greatly acknowledged. therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of starting breastfeeding in the first hour after delivery and the exclusive breast milk feeding as well as the a...

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Teen mothers face many challenges to successful breastfeeding and are less likely to breastfeed than any other population group in the U.S. Few studies have investigated this population; all prior studies are cross-sectional and collect breastfeeding data retrospectively. The purpose of our qualitative prospective study was to understand the factors that contribute to t...

OBJECTIVE To assess the existing evidence regarding breastfeeding initiation time and infant morbidity and mortality. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Popline, LILACS, AIM, and Index Medicus to identify existing evidence. We included observational studies and randomized control trials that examined the associa...

This study was done to evaluate effects of maternal-infant skin-to-skin contact during the first 2 hours postbirth compared to standard care (holding the infant swaddled in blankets) on breastfeeding outcomes through 1 month follow-up. Healthy primiparous mother-infant dyads were randomly assigned by computerized minimization to skin-to-skin contact (n = 10) or standard care (n = 10). The Infan...

There is a need to comprehensively examine why mothers in Ireland discontinue breastfeeding early and to explore the factors influencing duration of breastfeeding during the first 6 months postpartum. Findings from this study provide valuable direction for future strategies and interventions aimed at increasing breastfeeding duration rates in Ireland.

OBJECTIVE Our goal was to assess the impact of "Baby-Friendly" hospital practices and other maternity-care practices experienced by mothers on breastfeeding duration. METHODS This analysis of the Infant Feeding Practices Study II focused on mothers who initiated breastfeeding and intended prenatally to breastfeed for >2 months, with complete data on all variables (n = 1907). Predictor variabl...

Human breast milk is known to contain immunoprotective, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory agents. In a prospective clinical study of dengue virus infections during infancy, we examined the correlation between breastfeeding and the development of febrile illnesses in an infant population. We found that breastfeeding status and the frequency of breastfeeding during early infancy was associated...

BACKGROUND The increasing ethnic diversity in the United States necessitates a study of variations in infant feeding patterns among ethnic groups. This study was conducted as part of Hawaii's surveillance system to identify infant feeding patterns in Hawaii; specifically, to identify factors influencing duration of breastfeeding among ethnically diverse mothers. METHODS All women who delivere...

Numerous studies show that breastfeeding is beneficial to both mothers and babies. This study explores two understudied correlates that may influence breastfeeding initiation: intimate partner violence during pregnancy and early postnatal depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional comparative study design investigated the correlates of feeding modes of 1200 Chinese mother and infant pairs in a univ...