SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING IN THE MATERNITY WARD SHORTENS THE DURATION OF BREAST-FEEDING

In a prospective study, feeding routines of a maternity unit and the s ubsequent feeding patterns of 521 newborns were analysed. During the s tay in the maternity unit, 69% of newborns were exclusively breast fed and 1% received only donor's milk from the milk bank and/or formula. Nine percent received their mothers' milk by bottle at least once and 21% received one or more supplementary feedings with donor's milk from the milk bank. One-quarter of the children received supplementary fee ds on the third day of life, the indications for this being birth weig ht less than 3.0 kg, maternal diabetes or gestational diabetes, ''insu fficient amounts'' of milk or fussiness. At three months, 65% were bei ng exclusively breast fed and 15% partially breast fed. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the potential determinants (neonatal fee ding, maternal characteristics, characteristics of the delivery and th e child) for the duration of breast feeding were included. The adjuste d relative risk (estimated as odds ratios, OR) of not being breast fed at three months was associated with maternal age ( < 25 years, OR 4.2 ), maternal smoking (OR 4.0), neonatal feeding (supplements given, OR 3.9) and initial weight loss (10% or more, OR 2.8). Thus the administr ation of supplementary donor's milk or formula during the early neonat al period was associated with an increased risk of a short duration fo r breast feeding, even after adjustment for a number of potential conf ounders.