Resident physicians' knowledge of breastfeeding and infant growth

Background: It is well documented that breastfed infants grow differently f rom formula-fed infants. The purpose of this study was to assess resident p hysicians' knowledge of breastfeeding and infant growth. Methods: A cross-s ectional, self-administered survey was administered to family medicine and pediatric resident physicians front three large, hospital-based public and private programs in North Carolina. Results: One hundred and seven (46%) of 235 residents completed the study: representing 55 percent of family, medi cine residents and 39 percent of pediatric residents. Ninety-nine percent o f participants reported frequently or always plotting infant growth at well -child visits. None reported plotting breastfed babies on a chart specific to breastfeeding. Only 5 percent of participants knew that breastfed infant s grew at a slower velocity than formula-fed infants after 4 months of age. This knowledge was not significantly related to specialty, pear of trainin g, or gender; it was significantly related to breastfeeding experience (p < 0.04). Of the residents who did not have personal experience with breastfe eding, 99 percent answered incorrectly compared with 88 percent of those wh o had some personal experience in breastfeeding. Conclusions: In this sampl e of family medicine and pediatric residents, almost all were unaware that breastfed infants grow at slower rates after 4 months of age, Since the fre quency of breastfeeding is increasing in the United States, it is important that physicians be able to monitor the growth of breastfed infants accurat ely and provide expert counseling for breastfeeding mothers.