Breastfeeding patterns in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil: a survey of reasons for weaning

Cadernos de Saúde Pública

Coral Wayland¹ 

[1],University of North Carolina Department of Sociology and Anthropology Charlotte,USA

关键词: Breastfeeding;    Weaning;    Infant Nutrition;    Aleitamento Materno;    Desmame;    Nutrição Infantil;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0102-311X2004000600038

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

This paper presents a preliminary profile of infant feeding practices in a peri-urban Amazonian community. A random sample of 180 households with at least one child under the age of five years were interviewed in 1996 as part of a maternal-child health survey conducted in a peri-urban neighborhood in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Since some households had more than one child under the age of five, data were collected for a total of 250 children. The results of the survey indicate that initiation of breastfeeding is nearly universal, with 96.0% of women breastfeeding their infants at birth. However, many mothers terminate breastfeeding before the recommended age. Forty-five percent of infants are weaned before six months and 62.0% are weaned before 12 months. The survey also reveals that mothers give supplemental food and drink at an early age. Finally, while women give a variety of responses for why breastfeeding was terminated, the most common answer (42.0%) was that the infant refused the breast. The meaning and implications of this response merit further investigation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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