[Breast feeding in Rome and its province in 1982]

A follow-up study was planned to evaluate the frequency of the breast feeding babies in Rome and its district. 918 subsequently born babies were followed for 6 months. At 3 months of age only the 35,4% of them was still breast fed. We point out that babies born from spontaneous delivery present a higher frequency and a prolonged breast feeding statistically significant v/s babies born from cesarean section, and that the early initiation of breast feeding has a marked positive influence.