NATŪRALAUS KŪDIKIŲ MAITINIMO TENDENCIJOS PANEVĖŽIO MIESTE

Trends of Babies Breastfeeding in Panevėžys

Abstract

World Health Organization recommend breastfeeding exclusively (no formula, juice, or water) for 6 months. Breastfeeding duration depends on a number of determinants, some of which may be modifiable. These include traditional healthcare practices; influence of the family and friends; living environment; maternal education, employment, and workplace; and availability of breast-milk substitutes. The importance of various factors to the initiation and duration of breastfeeding can be different due to socioeconomic and cultural background. Making the decision to breastfeed is a personal matter. It's also one that's likely to draw strong opinions from friends and family. Object of the article: Trends of babies breastfeeding in Panevėžys. Objective of this article: to investigate trends of babies breastfeeding in Panevėžys. Tasks: to analyse, based on scientific literature, recommended term of breastfeeding and benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child; to evaluate rates of breastfeeding up to 3 month in Panevėžys; to evaluate rates of breastfeeding up to 6 months in Panevėžys; to compare rates of breastfeeding up to 3 months and up to 6 months in Panevėžys and Lithuania; to assess the main reasons of early artificial feeding. The research revealed  that breastfeeding had a great positive influence on babie’s and mother’s health; the rates of breastfeeding until 3 months are increasing; the rates of breastfeeding until 6 month are slowly decreasing; the rates of breastfeeding up to 3 months and up to 6 months in Panevėžys were lower than in Lithuania, but rates of breastfeeding up to 3 months in Panevėžys in 2017 are increasing and are higher than in Lithuania ; the main reasons of early artificial  feeding were stressfull environment and refusing to breastfeed, absence or lack of mother’s milk. Mothers at risk of short breastfeeding duration should be targeted as a group for breastfeeding promotion and education early in the pregnancy. This group of women and their family members should be well informed not only about the advantages of breastfeeding but also about the barriers and ways to overcome them.