Breastfeeding then and now - changes in the prevalence of breastfeeding infants based on data collected in two pediatric primary care clinics over the past 27 years
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.1109Keywords:
Infant; Breastfeeding; Health promotion; Primary health careAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate how the percentage of mothers who breastfeed their infants has changed over the past 27 years in the area of the city of Šibenik, especially considering the breastfeeding promotion campaigns that were carried out on a national level around 30 years ago.
Methods: In two Šibenik pediatric primary health care clinics, we surveyed mothers of all children born in 1996, then mothers of children born in 2014/2015, and mothers of children born in 2023 about the diet of their infants.
Results: The results show a significant decrease in the number of children fed exclusively with breast milk during their infant period in the years studied: in 1996, 95 % of children were breastfed in the first month of life, in 2014/2015, 76 %, and in 2023, 47 % of children.
Conclusions: This study showed a marked decrease in the percentage of infants fed exclusively with breast milk during the first months of life in the area of the city of Šibenik over a 27-year period. We demonstrated the need to repeat comprehensive breastfeeding promotion actions, particularly targeting pregnant women, which have been effective in the past.
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