Association between the use of a baby's bottle and pacifier and the absence of breastfeeding in the second six months of life.
BACKGROUND
The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for two years or more and advises against bottle feeding and pacifier use.


OBJECTIVE
Investigate the association between bottle feeding and pacifier use, and breastfeeding in the second half-year of life.


METHODS
Survey in a municipality of Rio de Janeiro state, in 2006, interviewing those responsible for 580 children aged 6-11 months. Bottle feeding and pacifier use, and variables which in the bivariate analysis were associated with the outcome 'absence of breastfeeding' (≥ 0.20), were selected for multiple analysis. Adjusted prevalence ratios were obtained by a Poisson regression model.


RESULTS
40% of the children 6-11 months were not being breastfed, 47% used a pacifier and 57% used a bottle. Pacifier use (PR = 3.245; CI95%: 2.490-4.228) and bottle feeding (PR = 1.605; CI95%: 1.273-2.023) were shown to be strongly associated with the outcome, and also with: mother's low schooling (PR = 0.826; CI95%: 0.689-0.990); low birth weight (PR = 1.488; CI95%: 1.159-1.910); mother not being the baby carer (PR = 1.324; CI95%: 1.080-1.622); and increasing age of the baby in days (PR = 1.004; CI95%: 1.002-1.006).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of pacifiers and bottles can reduce continued breastfeeding. Stronger discouragement of these artifacts should be adopted in public health policies.
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil, renata.rrigotti@gmail.com.
Renata Ribeiro
RR
Rigotti
Departamento de Epidemiologia e Bioestatística, Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal Fluminense.
Maria Inês Couto
MI
de Oliveira
Departamento de Nutrição Social, Instituto de Nutrição, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro.
Cristiano Siqueira
CS
Boccolini
D000328:Adult; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult