December 5, 2005 3:37 PM
- Text
Why Some Moms Quit Breastfeeding
breast feeding (CBS/AP)
More women might breastfeed their babies if they got some advice and attention during and soon after pregnancy, a new study shows.
Physical discomfort and babies' perceived response to breastfeeding are major reasons why some moms soon stop breastfeeding, write the CDC's Indu Ahluwalia, MPH, PhD, and colleagues.
Pregnant women's intentions about breastfeeding were also important. Those who intended to breastfeed were more likely to do so for more than four weeks, the researchers note.
The study appears in Pediatrics.
Breastfeeding Encouraged
Breastfeeding is widely recommended for babies' health and for mother-child bonding. But breastfeeding isn't always easy, as many women told Ahluwalia's team.
Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement on breastfeeding. The statement, published in February's issue of Pediatrics, says:
"Although economic, cultural, and political pressures often confound decisions about infant feeding, the AAP firmly adheres to the position that breastfeeding ensures the best possible health as well as the best developmental and psychosocial outcomes for the infant."
Breastfeeding Study
Ahluwalia's study included more than 32,000 moms in 10 U.S. states. The women were studied in 2000-2001, soon after giving birth. They answered surveys about their breastfeeding experience.
Here are the numbers on how many women breastfed, and for how long:
About half breastfed for more than four weeks.
Nearly a third never breastfed.
About 13 percent breastfed for up to four weeks.
Nearly 4 percent stopped breastfeeding after less than one week.
© 2005 WebMD, LLC.. All Rights Reserved. Physical discomfort and babies' perceived response to breastfeeding are major reasons why some moms soon stop breastfeeding, write the CDC's Indu Ahluwalia, MPH, PhD, and colleagues.
Pregnant women's intentions about breastfeeding were also important. Those who intended to breastfeed were more likely to do so for more than four weeks, the researchers note.
The study appears in Pediatrics.
Breastfeeding Encouraged
Breastfeeding is widely recommended for babies' health and for mother-child bonding. But breastfeeding isn't always easy, as many women told Ahluwalia's team.
Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement on breastfeeding. The statement, published in February's issue of Pediatrics, says:
"Although economic, cultural, and political pressures often confound decisions about infant feeding, the AAP firmly adheres to the position that breastfeeding ensures the best possible health as well as the best developmental and psychosocial outcomes for the infant."
Breastfeeding Study
Ahluwalia's study included more than 32,000 moms in 10 U.S. states. The women were studied in 2000-2001, soon after giving birth. They answered surveys about their breastfeeding experience.
Here are the numbers on how many women breastfed, and for how long:
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