New Data Reveal Insight into Moms' Complex Infant Feeding Decisions

Photo: XXXXX
CDC's data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II illustrate several factors that influence pregnant women and new moms when they make decisions about feeding their babies. These factors, such as policies and environments within hospitals, businesses, and communities can all support—or limit—mothers' choices.

NEW Online Data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II

Photo: Mother and child

Investigate the wealth of information provided by the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (IFPS II). Information includes full access to the research findings that were first published as a supplemental issue to Pediatrics in October 2008, as well as, more than 300 tables of detailed data that have never been released.

What makes these data unique?

The women who participated in the IFPS II provided information from the time they were pregnant until their babies were 12 months old. This longitudinal data (data collected during an extended time frame) are valuable, as they tell a complete story which helps researchers explain issues in detail, showing ‘cause and effect.'

What did the IFPS II find about infant feeding practices?

More than 4 out of 5 pregnant women wanted to breastfeed. However, obstacles (i.e., hospital maternity care practices and limitations on maternity leave) made it much harder for them to start and maintain breastfeeding long enough to provide the health protection and benefits babies derive from breastfeeding.

Photo: Breastfeeding mother

Moms' infant feeding practices were partially shaped by the hospital environment.

  • Moms who gave birth in hospitals whose policies and environment were unsupportive of breastfeeding were 8 times more likely to stop breastfeeding early compared to moms who gave birth in hospitals whose policies and environment do support breastfeeding.

New moms received infant formula at hospitals and at home, which can be a disincentive to start and continue breastfeeding.

  • 83% of new mothers received infant formula or coupons for infant formula in a gift or diaper bag from the maternity hospital or birth center, and 57% of new mothers received free samples of infant formula sent by mail directly to their home.

Photo: Nursing Mother

Many women in the study received only a short amount of paid maternity leave; this time constraint can affect breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Most moms felt more comfortable breastfeeding among close friends than among strangers.

  • As moms became more experienced with breastfeeding, they grew more comfortable doing so around other people. By the time their baby was 7 months old almost all (80%) of breastfeeding moms felt comfortable breastfeeding among close women friends, more than half (56%) felt this way among friends that are men and women, and more than one-third (34%) felt comfortable breastfeeding among men and women who were not close friends.

Different groups in a community or state can work together to ensure that moms and babies get the help they need to initiate, maintain, and continue breastfeeding as long as possible. For example, groups can work together to help ensure supportive maternity care practices in hospitals and help create policies that positively affect the way moms feel about breastfeeding while out and about in their community.

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