The attitude of breastfeeding.

A study was conducted among 211 mothers in Jakarta Indonesia to ascertain prevailing attitudes towards and practice of breastfeeding. Responses are tabulated. Half the mothers surveyed breast fed their babies for 9-12 months; most of the others breast fed for up to 2 years. The reasons for stopping were that the mother worked (among the middle and high income group) and that solid foods were considered adequate after a certain amount of time (among the lower income mothers). Lower income mothers were found to initiate breast feeding during the 1st few hours after birth and several hours sooner than the middle and high income mothers thus better protecting their infants against necrotizing enterocolitis. It was concluded that hospital personnel should be encouraged to initiate breast feeding earlier among their patients. Even working mothers should be encouraged to continue breast feeding. The IUD can be promoted as a recommended method of birth control because it will not interfere with lactation.