[Epidemiologic data on breast feeding in Florence and the province. Survey carried out in 1364 children born between 1985 and 1987].
We have studied the breast-feeding frequency in Florentine Area. We investigate a group of 1364 children born between January 1985 and June 1987. We collected following data: 1) Kind of feeding at birth. 2) Duration of breast-feeding related with birth-weight, kind of delivery, mother's age, mother's working activity. 3) Growth in relation to feeding practices from birth to 3rd month. The percentage of infants breast-feed in the hospital was 81.6%, 50.5% at the end of third month, 21.9% at the end of sixth month. We have found that children weighing more than 3000 g at birth had an higher frequency of breast-feeding at birth and last longer than children weighing less than 3000 g (p less than 0.01). Maternal age had a clear effect on both the incidence and the duration of breast-feeding. Mother aged 30 years or more begin to breast-feed in lower percentage but they continue breast-feeding for a longer time. One of the factors that has a negative influence on breast-feeding at birth is caesarean section since it precludes early mother-infant contact and early initiation of breast-feeding. Mother's resume working has a negative influence on breast-feeding duration. With regard to growth in first three months of life related with different kind of feeding we have found no differences between breast-feeding and artificial-fed infants.
Calzolari
C
C
Clinica Pediatrica I, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italia.
Miceli
M C
MC
Sacchetti
A
A
Santetti
I
I
Vitali
E
E
Panero
C
C
Cianciulli
D
D
Carbone
C
C
Fasulo
A
A
D000367:Age Factors; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
Dati epidemiologici sull'allattamento al seno in Firenze e provincia. Indagine condotta su 1364 bambini nati tra il 1985 ed il 1987.