title: Initiation of complementary feeding and duration of total breastfeeding: unlimited access to lactation consultants versus routine care at the well-baby clinics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breastfeeding has several advantages for both mother and child. Lactation consultants may promote prolonged breastfeeding, but little is known about their impact on the initiation of complementary feeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary intake during the initial complementary feeding period from 5 to 6 months was collected on mother-infant pairs who had unlimited access to lactation consultants along with those mother-infant pairs who received routine care at the well-baby clinics. The total duration of breastfeeding in each study population was also recorded, and total breastfeeding durations of infants receiving complementary foods from 4 months and those exclusively breastfed for 6 months in each of the two study populations were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher proportion of infants of mothers with unlimited access to lactation consultants were fed vegetable and vegetable purées (p=0.05) and more than one food type (p=0.05) at 5 months. Furthermore, a lower percentage of them had three meals per day at 6 months (p=0.001) compared with those receiving routine care at the well-baby clinics. Infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months all had similar duration of total breastfeeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mother-infant pairs with unlimited access to lactation consultant had slower introduction of complementary foods at the initial complementary feeding period, according to number of infant's meals at 6 months of age. Furthermore, those exclusively breastfed for 6 months had more prolonged breastfeeding compared with mothers who began complementary feeding at 4 months regardless of exposure to lactation consultants.
authors.affiliation: 1 Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali, The National University Hospital of Iceland and Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland , Reykjavik, Iceland .
authors.forename: Olof H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Jonsdottir
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fewtrell
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gunnlaugsson
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hibberd
authors.forename: Jona M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jonsdottir
authors.forename: Ingibjorg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eiriksdottir
authors.forename: Alma M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rognvaldsdottir
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thorsdottir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D003253:Consultants; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D014886:Weaning