title: Does exclusive breastfeeding increase after hospital discharge? A Greek study.
abstract: To monitor the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Greek maternity wards and to investigate possible changes in infant-feeding practices during the first month after hospital discharge, the authors questioned 4310 Greek mothers from 7 hospitals on the fourth day postpartum. Odds ratios were calculated to estimate the effects of health system, demographic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Any breastfeeding and full breastfeeding initiation rates were 85% and 23%, respectively. One month postpartum, the corresponding rates of any and exclusive breastfeeding were 79% and 61%, respectively. Mothers of infants who lacked continuous rooming-in while in the maternity ward (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.27-3.40) and with previous experience of breastfeeding (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.19-1.79) were more likely to reestablish exclusive breastfeeding at home despite the use of supplementation in the maternity ward. It seems women are capable of overcoming supplementation in hospital and can revert to exclusive breastfeeding at home.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pediatrics at the University of Athens, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens' University Medical School, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Greece. cbakoula@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Chryssa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bakoula
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicolaidou
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veltsista
authors.forename: Anargyroula
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prezerakou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moustaki
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kavadias
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lazaris
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fretzayas
authors.forename: Xenofon
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Krikos
authors.forename: Themistoklis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karpathios
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsaniotis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013997:Time Factors