Longitudinal study of the frequency and duration of breastfeeding in rural Bangladeshi women

Abstract

A 27-month longitudinal study of 140 Bangladeshi mothers living in three tea gardens examined the effect of maternal factors (mother's age, number of live births, birth interval, and mother's work status) and sex of the infant on the duration and bout frequency of breastfeeding over 8-hr daytime periods. Prolonged breastfeeding of the infant was observed, but there was a sharp decline in duration of breastfeeding over the first 6 months, followed by a more gradual diminution thereafter. The feeding bouts showed a different pattern, with a more gradual decline over time. Housewives consistently showed a greater duration and bout frequency than women in paid employment as tea-pluckers. Over the first 6 months, primigravid mothers breastfed more frequently, but not thereafter. Older mothers (>35 years of age) breastfed with higher frequency during the first 2 months, but thereafter, the bout frequency decreased with increasing age of the infant. Over the 27-month study, maternal work status was the main factor associated with the duration and frequency of breastfeeding, with significantly higher frequency and duration among housewives. However, in the first 6 months after birth, there was very little difference in frequency or duration of breastfeeding between tea-workers and housewives, indicating that working mothers probably adjusted their time to breastfeed their infants before going, or after coming back, from work.

Duration of breast-feeding and cardiovascular risk factors among Iranian children and adolescents: The CASPIAN III study

“…According to a report from one of the central Iranian cities, prevalence of low birth weight was estimated at 8.8% [53]. Recent evidence suggests that several factors such as mothers' education, employment, and socio-economic characteristics are associated with BF pattern [54][55][56]. In the present study, we observed a significant correlation between mothers' occupation and BF duration only in girls.…”

Association between women’s empowerment and infant and child feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

“…The benefit of increased income and control over income v. the cost of reduced time is often recognized as a trade-off between maternal employment and child care. Existing evidence suggests that the cost is more likely to outweigh the benefit during early infancy because working mothers may not be able to initiate breastfeeding (29,46) , to practise exclusive breast-feeding (30) or to breast-feed as long or frequently as needed (47)(48)(49) . Older children seemed to benefit more from their economically empowered mothers as seen from their better nutritional status compared with their counterparts of unemployed (50) or less financially autonomous mothers (51) .…”

Diarrhea in Breastfed versus Formulafed Baby: A Hospital Based Study in 150 Children

“…But frequent (two or more) attack of diarrhea occurred in non-exclusive breast fed children; in breast fed plus formula fed children 35 (59.3%), exclusively formula fed 10 (71.4%) and exclusively breast fed 21 (27.3%). Abdulbari Bener et al 7 study on exclusive breast feeding and prevention of diarrheal diseases showed more than half of the infants (59.3%) were exclusively World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breast feeding for first six months of life and continuation of breast feeding for two years or beyond 9,10 . We found 59 patients developed first attack of diarrhea by 6 months of age, of whom most children were from non-exclusively breast fed group; there were breast fed plus formula fed children 41 (69.5%), exclusively formula fed 12 (20.3%) and exclusively breast fed only 6 (10.2%).…”