Selection of infant feeding method: a population-based study in a rural area.

The selection of infant feeding method was studied in a rural area. At discharge from the hospital, 70 percent of women were breast feeding, with 47 percent still breast feeding at three months. The decision regarding feeding method was made early, with the majority of women deciding before the pregnancy. Multiparous women almost always used the method that was favored by their experience feeding previous children. For primiparous women, the husband and mother were the most important sources of information. Educational efforts designed to increase the use of breast feeding should reach future parents prior to pregnancy, and every effort should be made to ensure that the first experience with breast feeding is successful and rewarding.