title: Breastfeeding practices in infants in the west region of cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of breast-feeding in the West region of Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in two health facilities on 195 mother-infant pairs, seen at the out patient and vaccination units of the Bafoussam Regional Hospital over a period of one month from 1(st) to 30(th) September 2008. The socio-demographic characteristics of mothers, knowledge on breastfeeding and the practice of breastfeeding were studied. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software. The chi square and student t- test were used for comparison and results considered significant for P< 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Breastfeeding was practised by 99.48% of the mothers. Only 33.8% of the mothers knew that they had to exclusively breastfeed up to 6 months, and 20% effectively breastfed up to 6 months. The mean duration of breastfeeding was 5.06 months and negatively correlated with the number of children and the profession of the mother. In 69.74% of the women, nothing was given to the baby before the first breastfeed. Discontinuation of breastfeeding was done averagely around 15.24 months and earlier in married women and in those with a higher educational level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the majority of parents practised breast feeding, only a minority understood its benefits, so more should be done to educate the community on the benefits of exclusive breast-feeding for up to six months.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences/Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiabi
authors.forename: Bg
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kamga
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mah
authors.forename: Jb
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bogne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nguefack
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fokam
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tafen
authors.forename: Pf
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tchokoteu
keywords: Attitudes; Breastfeeding practices; Cameroon; Knowledge