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Infants' first feeds in Hangzhou, PR China
Liqian Qiu1, Xing Xie, Andy Lee
1School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia.
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|March 30, 2007
Summary
Giving infants prelacteal feeds, such as formula or water, before breastfeeding is established significantly reduces breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge. This practice, observed in over a quarter of births, negatively impacts exclusive breastfeeding success.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition
Background:
- Exclusive breastfeeding to six months is recommended by WHO and Chinese Ministry of Public Health.
- Pre-lacteal feeding practices may hinder successful breastfeeding initiation and maintenance.
- Baby-Friendly Hospital initiatives aim to promote optimal infant feeding practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of prelacteal feeds in a Hangzhou hospital.
- To assess the impact of prelacteal feeds on breastfeeding at hospital discharge.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 638 mothers in Hangzhou, China.
- Data collected via in-hospital interviews using questionnaires on infant feeding.
- Binary logistic regression analysis to identify factors influencing breastfeeding at discharge.
Main Results:
- 26% of infants received prelacteal feeds (formula, water, or milk) as their first feed.
- At discharge, 91% received some breastmilk, but only 36% were exclusively breastfeeding.
- Infants given prelacteal feeds showed a significantly lower rate of breastfeeding at discharge (OR 0.115).
Conclusions:
- Pre-lacteal feeding is a common practice in the studied Hangzhou hospital.
- This practice is strongly associated with reduced breastfeeding rates upon hospital discharge.
- Interventions to discourage prelacteal feeding are crucial for improving breastfeeding outcomes.
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