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Myriam Van Winckel, Nathalie Van De Keere, Sylvie Deblaere, Veerle Van
Put, Eddy Robberecht
Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B 9000 Gent
1. INTRODUCTION
Little is known about infant feeding practices in Flanders, Belgium,
beyond the neonatal period. This study describes breastfeeding rate and
duration in Gent.
2. METHOD
All 538 healthy term infants born between may 20 and august 19 in 1997,
living in Gent and followed at well-baby clinics (Kind en Gezin) were
eligible for the study. Privacy law prohibits direct contact with the parents,
nurses of Kind en Gezin asked 324 (60%) parents permission for an
interview regarding infant feeding habits. Of these, 27 (8% ) refused.. Thus
297 (125 boys, 172 girls) infants were included. The study population was
comparable to the population of Flanders regarding age, ,parity and degree
of employment of the parents. 39% of the mothers had a full-time job, 16,5%
worked part-time. Compared to the general population however, parents in
the study population were more highly educated. 5 1% of the mothers and
45% of the fathers had attended high school or university, compared to 28%
of women and 20,8% of men in Flanders. At the age of 5 months, a
structured interview was performed at home.
3. RESULTS
206 (67%) infants received breastfeeding at birth. Parents had made the
decision to breastfeed before pregnancy (93%). Breastfeeding rate was
positively correlated with the educational level of the parents. Breastfeeding
rate declines steadily during the first 5 months of life. It is stopped before the
age of 2 weeks in 18/206 (9%) infants, between 2 and 6 weeks in 33 (16%),
between 6 and 12 weeks in 62 (30%) and between 12 and 20 weeks in 47
(23%). Weaning foods were started before the age of 12 weeks in 25 (12%),
between 14 and 16 weeks in 94 (45%), between 16 and 20 weeks in 50
(24%) infants. At the age of 5 months 98% of the infants received weaning
foods, 17 (8%) received breastfeeding as the only milk source, 29 (14%)
were partially breastfed and partially bottle-fed. Return to the workplace was
the most frequent reason to stop breastfeeding (31%), followed by
insufficient milk supply (20%), fatigue of the mother (1 7%), regurgitations
and crying of the baby (11%), breast-problems (9%).and other reasons
(12%). Parents said they took the decision to stop breastfeeding themselves
(86%).. Introduction of weaning foods was advised by nurses of Kind en
Gezin (49%) or by a paediatrician (10%). In 35% introduction of weaning
foods was the parents own decision.