[Current trends in breastfeeding in Valladolid]

Authors studied influence of several factors on the election of infant feeding type, and breast feeding incidence and its duration. Two hundred questionnaires were obtained from mothers living within Valladolid. 76% intended to breast-feed. Breast-feeding was not modified by mothers' age, geographic area, instruction, economic-social class, tradition, desired pregnancy, maternal opinion about lactation, aesthetic impairment, maternal or neonatal pathology, husband advice and medical opinion. Nevertheless, frequency of bottle feeding was significantly increased by medical advice contrary to breast-feeding, absence of husband's opinion, hospital admission of the newborn and absence of feeding type distinction by mother. Duration of breast-feeding was longer in low level cultural classes, without differences of mother's age or economic condition. Motives for election were: breast-feed was considered more nutritive (78%), family tradition (10%), and medical advice (8%). Reasons for suspension were: Hypogalactia (70%), medical advice (16%), maternal disease (7%), child disease (3%) and maternal work (3%).