WIC Infant Food Package Issuance Data Are a Valid Measure of Infant Feeding Practices

A survey designed to examine the extent to which infant food advertising could be shown measurably to influence infant feeding practices was carried out in St. Vincent in the eastern Caribbean. A questionnaire was administered to mothers of about 200 children one to two years old, nearly a complete sample in each of two towns. Infant food advertising was found to be uncommon. The typical infant feeding pattern, largely a combination of both breast and bottle feeding, had existed for decades. Despite the fact that this was not a very appropriate setting for such a study, and that there were a number of methodological constraints, the results of two multiple regression analyses suggested that the more a mother was influenced by infant food advertising, the sooner she began to bottle feed and the sooner she stopped breastfeeding. The cessation of all promotion of commercial infant foods, to the public as well as to health professionals, is called for.

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The Role of Doctors in Influencing Infant Feeding Practices in South India

Tropical Doctor ◽

10.1177/004947559502500412 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 178-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Katy Fidler ◽

Anthony Costello

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Household Income ◽

South India ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Infant Food ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Care Workers

Infant feeding practices are influenced by many factors including culture, household income, literacy, advice from health care workers and advertising. In South India doctors play a very significant role in influencing a mother's decision about when or whether to supplement breastfeeding with formula feeds. Doctors exert their influence on mothers both directly and indirectly, and they are increasingly targeted by commercial infant food companies. Doctors need continuing education about nutrition education, lactation management, and a greater awareness about the influence of inappropriate promotional practices by companies.

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Maternal postpartum feeding anxiety was associated with infant feeding practices: results from the mother-infant cohort study of China

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-020-03483-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jing Sun ◽

Yimin Zhu ◽

Yongjin Li ◽

Niuniu Li ◽

Tan Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Household Income ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Bottle Feeding ◽

Infant Food ◽

Postpartum Women ◽

Food Refusal ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Colostrum Feeding

Abstract Background Maternal feeding anxiety (FA) was prevalent during puerperium and might affect infant feeding practices. This study was aimed to investigate the FA status in Chinese postpartum women and its relationship with infant feeding practices (FPs). Methods Participants were from the Mother-Infant Cohort Study of China, in which the dietary and feeding practices, physical and psychiatric health for both mothers and infants were followed up from childbirth to next 2 years. In this study the maternal feeding anxiety (FA) status at 0–3 months postpartum was assessed by Li’s Self-rating Feeding Anxiety Scale (SFAS). Infant feeding practices (FPs) at 0–3 months, including breastfeeding-related behaviors, responsive feeding and infant food refusal were investigated by self-designed questionnaire. Results In total 456 mothers the average feeding anxiety scores (FAS) was 41.02 ± 8.02 (mean ± SD), and maternal FA prevalence were 61.4% (FAS>38) with severe FA being 8.6% (FAS>52) at 0–3 months postpartum. The FAS was related with infant FPs, and lower maternal FAS was significantly related with infant colostrum feeding (40.86 ± 8.02 vs 44.74 ± 11.33, P < 0.05), but higher FAS was related with bottle feeding (41.95 ± 8.28 vs 39.69 ± 7.92, P < 0.05). The mothers with severe feeding anxiety (FAS > 53) were more likely to feed infants with bottle (ORs, 95%CI: 2.41, 1.11 ~ 5.19). There were not significant association between FAS and exclusive breastfeeding and responsive feeding practices (P > 0.05). The higher FAS was associated with infant food refusal behaviors, the maternal scores whose infant “never”, “rarely”, “sometimes” and “often” spat out food when feeding were 39.86 ± 8.02, 41.47 ± 8.18, 41.36 ± 7.44 and 42.14 ± 12.03 increasingly (P > 0.05), and the FA prevalence was significantly different among groups (P < 0.05). The infants whose mother was identified as feeding anxiety were more likely to refuse opening the mouth when feeding (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated maternal FAS was positively related to infant bottle feeding (βi = 2.487, P < 0.05) and outdoor sunshine exposure practice (βi = 1.787, P < 0.05), and negatively related to household income level (βi = − 0.118, P < 0.05). Conclusions Maternal postpartum feeding anxiety was associated with some infant feeding practices, including bottle feeding and infant food refusal behaviors.

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Reported infant feeding practices and contextual influences on breastfeeding: qualitative interviews with women registered to MomConnect in three South African provinces

International Breastfeeding Journal ◽

10.1186/s13006-020-00315-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zara Trafford ◽

Sara Jewett ◽

Alison Swartz ◽

Amnesty E. LeFevre ◽

Peter J. Winch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health System ◽

South African ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Policy Support ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Local Policy ◽

Framework Analysis ◽

Younger Women

Abstract Background Global guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. South African EBF rates have steadily increased but still only average 32% for infants below 6 months of age. Malnutrition and developmental delays continue to contribute substantially to the morbidity and mortality of South African children. MomConnect, a national mHealth messaging system used to send infant and maternal health messages during and after pregnancy, has a specific focus on improving rates of breastfeeding and has achieved high rates of population coverage. Methods For this qualitative study, we interviewed women who were registered to MomConnect to investigate their breastfeeding and other infant feeding practices, decision-making pre- and post-delivery, and the role of the health system, family members and the wider community in supporting or detracting from breastfeeding intentions. Data were collected from February–March 2018 in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Gauteng provinces. Framework analysis was conducted to identify common themes. Results Most women interviewed had breastfed, including HIV-positive women. Even when women had delivered by caesarean section, they had usually been able to initiate breastfeeding a few hours after birth. Understandings of EBF varied in thoroughness and there was some confusion about the best way to cease breastfeeding. Most women felt well-equipped to make infant feeding decisions and to stick to their intentions, but returning to work or school sometimes prevented 6 months of EBF. Advice from the health system (both via clinics and MomConnect) was considered helpful and supportive in encouraging EBF to 6 months, although family influences could thwart these intentions, especially for younger women. Mothers reported a range of breastfeeding information sources that influenced their choices, including social media. Conclusions Efforts to improve EBF rates must include consideration of the social and economic environment surrounding women. Interventions that focus only on improving women’s knowledge are valuable but insufficient on their own. Attention should also be paid to infant behaviors, and how these affect women’s breastfeeding choices. Finally, although there is strong local policy support for EBF, more rigorous implementation of these and other broader changes to create a more enabling structural environment ought to be prioritized.

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Infant feeding practices in the Saharawi refugee camps Algeria, a cross-sectional study among children from birth to six months of age

International Breastfeeding Journal ◽

10.1186/s13006-016-0098-1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Inger Aakre ◽

Anne Marie Lilleengen ◽

Marie Lerseth Aarsand ◽

Tor A. Strand ◽

Ingrid Barikmo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Refugee Camps ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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An Assessment of the Breastfeeding Practices and Infant Feeding Pattern among Mothers in Mauritius

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1155/2013/243852 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Ashmika Motee ◽

Deerajen Ramasawmy ◽

Prity Pugo-Gunsam ◽

Rajesh Jeewon

Keyword(s):

Infant Feeding ◽

Infant Nutrition ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Feeding Pattern ◽

Infant Feeding Practices ◽

Chi Square ◽

Breastfeeding Practices ◽

Childhood Morbidity ◽

The Mean ◽

Type Of Delivery

Proper breastfeeding practices are effective ways for reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. While many mothers understand the importance of breastfeeding, others are less knowledgeable on the benefits of breastfeeding and weaning. The aim in here is to assess breastfeeding pattern, infant formula feeding pattern, and weaning introduction in Mauritius and to investigate the factors that influence infant nutrition. 500 mothers were interviewed using a questionnaire which was designed to elicit information on infant feeding practices. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS (version 13.0), whereby chi-square tests were used to evaluate relationships between different selected variables. The prevalence of breastfeeding practice in Mauritius has risen from 72% in 1991 to 93.4% as found in this study, while only 17.9% breastfed their children exclusively for the first 6 months, and the mean duration of EBF (exclusive breastfeeding) is 2.10 months. Complementary feeding was more commonly initiated around 4–6 months (75.2%). Despite the fact that 60.6% of mothers initiate breastfeeding and 26.1% of mothers are found to breastfeed up to 2 years, the practice of EBF for the first 6 months is low (17.9%). Factors found to influence infant feeding practices are type of delivery, parity, alcohol consumption, occupation, education, and breast problems.

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