Infant feeding practices in Papua New Guinea

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Nutrition

Background:

• Concerns regarding increasing bottle-feeding prevalence prompted a survey on infant feeding practices.
• Infant feeding is crucial for child health and development, with breastfeeding recommended globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess infant feeding practices, including colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding, and bottle-feeding, among mothers in urban health facilities.
• To identify differences in feeding practices based on maternal origin (Highlands vs. Coastal).

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1995 involving 1822 mothers attending urban health facilities.
• Data collected included feeding of colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding rates, introduction of solids, and bottle-feeding usage.

Main Results:

• 28.8% of mothers did not provide colostrum.
• Only 43.5% of 3-month-old infants were exclusively breastfed.
• Over half of infants received solids before 4 months; 20% used bottles.

Conclusions:

• Significant proportions of mothers did not adhere to recommended breastfeeding practices.
• Infant feeding practices varied by cultural background, necessitating culturally sensitive health education.
• The challenges faced by employed mothers regarding breastfeeding require further attention.