The effect of early post-partum mother-infant contact and breast-feeding promotion on the incidence and continuation of breast-feeding.

Three maternity hospital practices of post-partum mother-infant contact and breast-feeding promotion on the incidence and continuation of breast-feeding among 375 urban poor healthy Nicaraguan primigravid women were investigated. Infant feeding patterns were evaluated at 1 week and 4 months post-partum. Eighty-seven per cent of all infants initiated breast-feeding, but only 54% continued breast-feeding for at least 4 months. There was a significant association between both a short 45-min contact period and rooming-in combined with standard breast-feeding promotion, resulting in greater initial rates of breast-feeding (P less than 0.05). There was only a significant relationship between prolonged contact (rooming-in) and standard breast-feeding promotion and the continuation of breast-feeding (P less than 0.05). These findings suggest that in populations in which a majority of women initiate breast-feeding, post-partum mother-infant contact practices combined with standardized breast-feeding promotion may influence the initial choice to breast-feed, but these practices alone are clearly not enough to prolong breast-feeding.