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Infant‐feeding practices in Western Australia and Tasmania: A joint survey, 1984–1985
Author(s) -
Hitchcock Nancy E.,
Coy Johanna F.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1988.tb112769.x
Subject(s) - breast feeding , infant feeding , demography , breast milk , lactation , breastfeeding , medicine , pediatrics , geography , biology , pregnancy , biochemistry , genetics , sociology
A joint survey of infant‐feeding practices that was carried out in Western Australia and Tasmania in 1984–;1985 showed a continuing trend back to breast‐feeding in both States. In Western Australia and Tasmania, 86% and 81% of mothers, respectively, were breast‐feeding their babies on hospital discharge. Forty‐five per cent of all mothers were still breast‐feeding at six months. The social rank of the family had a significant effect on both the prevalence of breast‐feeding and on the length of lactation: more mothers in the higher social groups breast‐fed their infants, and for longer periods than did mothers of lower social groups. Few infants were introduced to solid foods before three months of age; however, solid and non‐milk foods were introduced earlier to infants who were fed artificially than to those who were breast‐fed.