This was reported by Judy Siegel, health correspondent of the Jerusalem Post. It just confirms what we always say. When clients tell me their breastfeeding problems, I can tell which hospital they gave birth in almost without asking! Wendy Blumfield Subject: Hospitals influence breastfeeding decision > Hospitals influence breastfeeding decision > > BOSTON (UPI) -- Hospital practices, such as supplementing newborns with > formula or giving them pacifiers, reduce the odds new mothers will > breastfeed, U.S. researchers say. > > A research team led by Eugene Declercq of the Boston University School of > Public Health finds a significant drop-off between the numbers of mothers > who intend to breastfeed exclusively and those who go on to fulfill that > intention one week after giving birth. > > Among first-time mothers, 70 percent reported an intention to breastfeed > exclusively but only 50 percent achieved that goal at one week, Declercq > says. > > The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, finds the > practice of hospital staff providing formula or water to supplement > breastfeeding was significantly related to the failure to achieve > exclusive > breastfeeding. > > Mothers whose infants were not offered supplementation were far more > likely > to achieve their intention to breastfeed -- 4.4 times more likely among > primiparas, first-time mothers, and 8.8 times more likely among > multiparas, > woman who have given birth two or more times. > > First-time mothers who delivered in hospitals that practiced at least six > out of seven recommended steps to encourage breastfeeding -- such as > helping > mothers get started and not giving babies pacifiers -- were six times more > likely to fulfill their intention to breastfeed exclusively than mothers > who > reported experiencing one or none of these practices, Declercq says. > > > > Copyright 2009 by United Press International > > > > *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome