Breast-feeding rates at an inner-city pediatric practice.
OBJECTIVE
To determine rates of breast-feeding in the first 2 months of life at an inner-city pediatric practice.


METHODS
Using retrospective chart reviews, we examined all visits through 2 months of age for infants seen from April 1, 2007, to June 29, 2007, at the Pediatric Practice of Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, which serves a low-income urban population. Rates of breast-feeding were analyzed by visit number and by infant age category.


RESULTS
We reviewed all 557 visits occurring between birth and 2 months of age for all 223 eligible infants. At visit 1 (median age 5 days), the rates of exclusive and any breast-feeding were 22.0% and 40.8%, respectively. By visit 3 (median age 43 days), the rates of exclusive and any breast-feeding were 10.6% and 24.5%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These inner-city breast-feeding rates are substantially below reported regional and national rates. Barriers to implementing urgently needed interventions are discussed.
Furman
Lydia
L
Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. lydia.furman@uhhospitals.org
Combs
Bridget C
BC
Alexander
Ashley D
AD
O'Riordan
Mary Ann
MA
D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D009820:Ohio; D011203:Poverty; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population