VARIABLES ASSOCIATED TO BREAST-FEEDING PA TTERNS IN TIJUANA, MEXICO

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of feeding patte rns among infants born in four community hospitals of the city of Tiju ana, Mexico. From a total of 1964 live births, a random sample of 236 was chosen from the clinical files and distributed according to the to tal number of births in each hospital. 182 mothers from the original s ample were contacted and accepted to participate in the study. 61 in t he three-month group, 60 in the six-month group, and 61 in the twelve- month group. The most usual fee&ng patterns were: at three months of a ge, breast milk plus formula; at six months formula plus other foods, and, al twelve months, fresh milk plus other foods. Three infants (1.6 5%) were never breastfed, at three months of age, 43 per cent of the i nfants were not receiving their mother's milk, and, at six months of a ge, 90 per cent were dependent on formula and other food only. Further more, 20.4 per cent of the infants were weaned before reaching their f irst month of age; 61.3 per cent between 30 and 119 days of age, 16.8 per cent between 120 and 209 days of age, and the rest after 209 days of age. It may be concluded that infants born in community hospitals i n Tijuana show tendencies in feeding patterns similar to those of Mexi can-American infants and those of urban regions in developing countrie s; that is, the substitution of breastfeeding for formula, and early w eaning.