Breastfeeding prevalence among six-week-old infants at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona, 1995

ABSTRACT

Eighty-five (85) mothers attending post-natal and well baby clinics were interviewed at six-weeks post-partum regarding breastfeeding practices of their latest child. An overall prevalence of 98.8 percent at six-weeks-of-age was seen, with an exclusive breastfeeding rate of 37.6 percent. Older maternal age and multiparity favoured exclusive breastfeeding. There was no significant association between the pattern of breastfeeding (exclusive versus partial) and employment or union status. Breastfeeding was found to favour good weight gain in normal birthweight babies. Normal birthweight babies who were exclusively breastfed had a higher mean weight gain than the exclusively breastfed low birthweight infants, who had better weight gain when partially breastfed (AU)