[Breast-feeding, frequency and problems - results of the bavarian breast-feeding study]

The aim of the present evaluation is to describe the frequency of breast-feeding as well as breast-feeding problems of mothers in Bavaria and to derive practical measures to promote breast-feeding.

The study "Breast-Feeding Behaviour in Bavaria" is a prospective cohort study that was carried out from April 2005 to January 2006. 3 822 mothers who had given birth in April 2005 from all of Bavaria participated in the study. The methods and preliminary results have already been described. The participants of the study were questioned about their breast-feeding habits in 4 follow-ups. The follow-up quota was 82%.

The frequency of breast-feeding exclusively according to needs at 2-6 days following delivery was about 62%. At the end of the infants' second month of life only 46.7% of the infants were breast-fed at least 7 times. In the first 2 months the prevalence of breast-feeding problems in mothers who still breast-feed and those who had stopped was about the same. In mother-infant pairs who no longer breast-feed, the concerns about too little milk, sore nipples and drinking or sucking problems of the infant predominated.

Breast-feeding problems that lead to termination of nursing are often due to a lack of milk or, respectively, a mother's concern about giving too little milk. Prospective, quality-assured counselling should focus on increasing the frequency of breast-feeding and on an improvement of suckling techniques in the first weeks of life. The medical necessity to supplementary feeding should be critically assessed and clearly explained to the mother in order to avoid giving her the feeling that she is unable to adequately feed her own child.