Initiation of complementary feeding and duration of total breastfeeding: unlimited access to lactation consultants versus routine care at the well-baby clinics.

• Published in: Breastfeeding Medicine
• Main Authors: Jonsdottir, Olof H, Fewtrell, Mary S, Gunnlaugsson, Geir, Kleinman, Ronald E, Hibberd, Patricia L, Jonsdottir, Jona M, Eiriksdottir, Ingibjorg, Rognvaldsdottir, Alma M, Thorsdottir, Inga
• Other Authors: Natl Univ Hosp Reykjavik, Unit Nutr Res, Landspitali, Reykjavik, Iceland, Univ Iceland, Sch Hlth Sci, Fac Food Sci & Nutr, Reykjavik, Iceland, UCL, Inst Child Hlth, Childhood Nutr Res Ctr, London, England, Directorate Hlth, Reykjavik, Iceland, Reykjavik Univ, Reykjavik, Iceland, Harvard Univ, Massachusetts Gen Hosp Children, Sch Med, Dept Pediat, Boston, MA USA, Harvard Univ, Massachusetts Gen Hosp Children, Sch Med, Div Global Hlth, Boston, MA USA, Primary Hlth Care Capital Area, Reykjavik, Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2014
• Subjects: Brjóstagjöf; Mataræði; Breast Feeding*/methods; Eating; Infant Food; Infant; Time Factors; Adult; Breast Feeding*/trends; Consultants*; Female; Health Services Accessibility/organization & administration*; Health Services Accessibility/trends; Humans; Iceland; Newborn; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Lactation*; Male; Mothers*; Pregnancy; Social Support*; Vegetables; Weaning*; Akranes
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/326003; https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2013.0094

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the page Breastfeeding has several advantages for both mother and child. Lactation consultants may promote prolonged breastfeeding, but little is known about their impact on the initiation of complementary feeding. Dietary intake during the initial complementary feeding period from 5 to 6 months was collected on mother-infant pairs who had unlimited access to lactation consultants along with those mother-infant pairs who received routine care at the well-baby clinics. The total duration of breastfeeding in each study population was also recorded, and total breastfeeding durations of infants receiving complementary foods from 4 months and those exclusively breastfed for 6 months in each of the two study populations were compared. Higher proportion of infants of mothers with unlimited access to lactation consultants were fed vegetable and vegetable purées (p=0.05) and more than one food type (p=0.05) at 5 months. Furthermore, a lower percentage of them had three meals per day at 6 months (p=0.001) compared with those receiving routine care at the well-baby clinics. Infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months all had similar duration of total breastfeeding. Mother-infant pairs with unlimited access to lactation consultant had slower introduction of complementary foods at the initial complementary feeding period, according to number of infant's meals at 6 months of age. Furthermore, those exclusively breastfed for 6 months had more prolonged breastfeeding compared with mothers who began complementary feeding at 4 months regardless of exposure to lactation consultants. Mead Johnson Eimskip Fund of the University of Iceland Icelandic Research Fund for graduate students Primary Health Care Organisation in Reykjavik Capital Area, Akranes Primary Health Care Organisation in Reykjavik Capital Area, Sudurnes