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Purpose: The long-term goal of the Study of Mothers' and Infants' Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) birth cohort study is to identify and evaluate the relative importance and timing of critical factors that shape the oral health of young children. It will then evaluate those factors in their inter-relationship with socioeconomic influences., Participants: SMILE is a single-centre study conducted in Adelaide, Australia. All newborns at the main three public hospitals between July 2013 and August 2014 were eligible for inclusion. The final recruited sample at birth was 2181 mother/infant dyads. Participants were followed up with questionnaires when the child was 3 and 6 months of age, and 1, 2 and 5 years of age. Oral epidemiological examinations and anthropometric assessments were conducted at age 2 and 5 years., Findings to Date: SMILE has contributed comprehensive data on dietary patterns of young children. Intakes of free sugars, core and discretionary foods and drinks have been detailed. There was a sharp increase in free sugars intake with age. Determinants of dietary patterns, oral health status and body weight during the first 5 years of life have been evaluated. Socioeconomic characteristics such as maternal education and household income and area-level socioeconomic profile influenced dietary patterns and oral health behaviours and status., Future Plan: Funding has been obtained to conduct oral epidemiological examinations and anthropometric assessments at age 7-8 years. Plans are being developed to follow the cohort into adolescent years., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of introduction of complementary (solid) foods among infants in South Western Sydney, Australia, and describe the maternal and infant characteristics associated with very early introduction of solids., Methods: Mother-infant dyads (n = 1035) were recruited into the "Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids" study by Child and Family Health Nurses at the first post-natal home visit. Data collected via telephone interviews at 8, 17, 34 and 52 weeks postpartum included timing of introduction of solids and a variety of maternal and infant characteristics (n = 934). Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with the risk of introducing solids very early, which for the purpose of this study was defined as being before 17 weeks., Results: The median age of introduction of solids was 22 weeks. In total, 13.6% (n = 127) of infants had received solids before 17 weeks and 76.9% (n = 719) before 26 weeks of age. The practice of introducing solids early decreased with older age of the mother. Compared to women < 25 years of age, those who were 35 years or older were 72% less likely to introduce solids very early (OR = 0.28, CI 95 0.14-0.58). Single mothers had more than twice the odds of introducing solids before the age of 17 weeks compared to married women (OR = 2.35, CI 95 1.33-4.16). Women who had returned to work between 6 to 12 months postpartum were 46% less likely to introduce solids very early compared with those who were not working at the child's first birthday (OR = 0.54, CI 95 0.30-0.97). Women born in Vietnam and Indian sub-continent had lower odds of introducing solids very early compared to Australian born women (OR = 0.42, CI 95 0.21-0.84 and OR = 0.30, CI 95 0.12-0.79, respectively). Infants who were exclusively formula-fed at 4 weeks postpartum had more than twice the odds of receiving solids very early (OR = 2.34, CI 95 1.49-3.66)., Conclusions: Women who are younger, single mothers, those not working by the time of child's first birthday, those born in Australia, and those who exclusively formula-feed their babies at 4 weeks postpartum should be targeted for health promotion programs that aim to delay the introduction of solids in infants to the recommended time.

A prospective cohort study was conducted in Shiraz in the south west of Iran to investigate breastfeeding from birth to six months of age. Mothers were recruited in a face-to-face interview within 48 h of giving birth in three public and two private hospitals (n = 700). They were then followed-up at 4, 12, 16, and 26 weeks postpartum in local Maternal and Child Health Clinics. Upon being discharge from hospital, 98.7% of mothers were breastfeeding and 74.3% were 'fully' breastfeeding, but only 29.9% of mothers had breastfed 'exclusively' since birth. The median duration of 'full' breastfeeding was 13 weeks and less than 1 week for exclusive breastfeeding. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, after adjustment, shorter durations of 'exclusive', 'full', and 'any' breastfeeding were associated with the introduction of a pacifier. The in-hospital use of formula and prelacteal feeds were also associated with a shorter duration of full and any breastfeeding. Breastfeeding on demand at 3 months and beyond was associated with a longer duration of breastfeeding. The risk factors associated with the premature discontinuation of breastfeeding identified in this study are all related to the "Ten steps to successful breastfeeding" and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). The principles that the BFHI provide are reaffirmed in this study as the basis for future breastfeeding promotion programs.

Breastfeeding to 12 months and beyond offers considerable health benefits to both infants and mothers. Despite these recognized benefits, relatively few women in high income countries breastfeed for 12 months, and rarely breastfeed to 24 months. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and determinants of continued breastfeeding to 12 and 24 months amongst a cohort of Australian women participating in the Adelaide-based Study of Mothers' and Infants' Life Events affecting oral health (SMILE). Duration of breastfeeding was known for 1450 participants and was derived from feeding related data collected at birth, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between explanatory variables and continued breastfeeding to 12 and 24 months. In total, 31.8% of women breastfed to 12 months and 7.5% to 24 months. Women who were multiparous, university educated, had not returned to work by 12 months and whose partners preferred breastfeeding over bottle feeding were more likely to be breastfeeding at 12 months. While women who had introduced complementary foods before 17 weeks and formula at any age were less likely to be breastfeeding at 12 months. Mothers who were born in Asian countries other than India and China, had not returned to work by 12 months and had not introduced formula were more likely to be breastfeeding at 24 months. The majority of the determinants of continued breastfeeding are either modifiable or could be used to identify women who would benefit from additional breastfeeding support and encouragement.

There is limited evidence to describe Australian mothers' understanding of the Australian Infant Feeding Guidelines (AIFG). A qualitative inductive methodological approach was used in this study to explore experiences with the introduction of solid food. Seven focus groups with 42 mothers of children aged 4⁻18 months were conducted in disadvantaged areas in Perth, Australia. The mean age of infants was 9.6 months and mean age of introduction of solid food was 4.3 months (range 1.2 to 7.5 months). Almost half of the mothers in this study were aware of the AIFG however, only half again could correctly identify the recommended age for introducing solid food. Four themes and nine subthemes emerged from the analysis. Themes were (1) Every child is different (judging signs of readiness); (2) Everyone gives you advice (juggling conflicting advice); (3) Go with your gut -(being a "good" mother); and (4) It's not a sin to start them too early or too late (-guidelines are advice and not requirements). The findings indicated that in spite of continued promotion of the AIFG over the past ten years achieving the around six months guideline is challenging. Professionals must address barriers and support enablers to achieving infant feeding recommendations in the design education materials and programs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Objective The association between and commonality of risk factors for poor self-rated oral health (SROH) and general health (SRGH) among new mothers has not been reported. The purpose of this paper is to assess the commonality of risk factors for poor SROH and SRGH, and self-reported obesity and dental pain, among a population-based sample of new mothers in Australia. It also investigated health conditions affecting new mothers' general health. Methods Data collected at baseline of a population-based birth cohort was used. Mothers of newborns in Adelaide were approached to participate. Mothers completed a questionnaire collecting data on socioeconomic status (SES), health behaviours, dental pain, SROH, self-reported height and weight and SRGH. Analysis was conducted sequentially from bivariate to multivariable regression to estimate prevalence rate (PR) of reporting poor/fair SROH and SRGH. Results of the 1895 new mothers, some 21 and 6% rated their SROH and SRGH as poor/fair respectively. Dental pain was associated with low income and smoking status, while being obese was associated with low SES, low education and infrequent tooth brushing. SROH and SRGH was associated with low SES, smoking, and dental pain. SROH was also associated with SRGH [PR: 3.06 (2.42-3.88)]. Conclusion for practice There was a commonality of factors associated with self-rated oral health and general health. Strong associations between OH and GH were also observed. Given the importance of maternal health for future generations, there would be long-term societal benefit from addressing common risk factors for OH and GH in integrated programs.

Background: Approximately one in five Western women who breastfeed are likely to experience acute mastitis. This study investigated the incidence and risk factors of acute mastitis in a cohort of Iranian women., Subjects and Methods: Subjects were 672 participants of the Shiraz Infant Feeding Study conducted between June 2014 and March 2015. Mothers were recruited from the maternity ward and followed up at 1, 3, 4, and 6 months postpartum to obtain information on their breastfeeding practices and experiences. The occurrence of acute mastitis in the first 26 weeks postpartum was self-reported and the occurrence of acute mastitis in the first 4 weeks and between 5 and 12 weeks postpartum was treated as separate outcomes. The risk factors for acute mastitis were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis., Results: In total, 130 mothers (19.3%, 95% confidence interval: 16.3-22.3%) experienced at least one episode of acute mastitis. Having expressed breast milk and use of a pacifier were significantly associated with acute mastitis in both the first 4 weeks and between 5 and 12 weeks postpartum. Persistent problems with cracked or sore nipples, or engorged breasts, and a reduction in breastfeeding were associated with acute mastitis between 5 and 12 weeks., Conclusions: The incidence of acute mastitis experienced by this cohort of Iranian women is similar to that reported for women in Western countries. The risk factors of acute mastitis identified in this study are potentially modifiable and could be prevented or ameliorated with adequate support and anticipatory guidance provided in the early postpartum period.

Background: In 2011, Australia published a set of 6 population-level indicators assessing breastfeeding, formula use, and the introduction of soft/semisolid/solid foods., Objectives: This study aimed to report the feeding practices of Australian infants against these indicators and determine the predictors of early breastfeeding cessation and introduction of solids., Methods: Mother-infant dyads (N = 1470) were recruited postnatally in 2 Australian capital cities and regional areas of 1 state between February 2008 and March 2009. Demographic and feeding intention data were collected by self-completed questionnaire at infant birth, with feeding practices (current feeding mode, age of breastfeeding cessation, age of formula and/or solids introduction) reported when the infant was between 4 and 7 months of age, and around 13 months of age. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of breastfeeding cessation and solids introduction., Results: Although initiation of breastfeeding was almost universal (93.3%), less than half of the infants were breastfed to 6 months (41.7%) and 33.3% were receiving solids by 4 months. Women who were socially disadvantaged, younger, less educated, unpartnered, primiparous, and/or overweight were most likely to have ceased breastfeeding before 6 months of age, and younger and/or less educated women were most likely to have introduced solid food by 4 months of age. Not producing adequate milk was the most common reason provided for cessation of breastfeeding., Conclusion: The feeding behaviors of Australian infants in the first 12 months fall well short of recommendations. Women need anticipatory guidance as to the indicators of breastfeeding success and the tendency of women to doubt the adequacy of their breast milk supply warrants further investigation.

Background: Mastitis is a painful problem experienced by breastfeeding women, especially in the first few weeks postpartum. There have been limited studies of the incidence of mastitis from traditionally breastfeeding societies in South Asia. This study investigated the incidence, determinants, and management of mastitis in the first month postpartum, as well as its association with breastfeeding outcomes at 4 and 6 months postpartum, in western Nepal., Subjects and Methods: Subjects were a subsample of 338 mothers participating in a larger prospective cohort study conducted in 2014 in western Nepal. Mothers were interviewed during the first month postpartum and again at 4 and 6 months to obtain information on breastfeeding practices. The association of mastitis and determinant variables was investigated using multivariable logistic regression, and the association with breastfeeding duration was examined using Kaplan-Meier estimation., Results: The incidence of mastitis was 8.0% (95% confidence interval, 5.1%, 10.8%) in the first month postpartum. Prelacteal feeding (adjusted odds ratio = 2.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.03, 7.40) and cesarean section (adjusted odds ratio = 3.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.09, 11.42) were associated with a higher likelihood of mastitis. Kaplan-Meier estimation showed no significant difference in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among the mothers who experienced an episode of mastitis and those who did not., Conclusions: Roughly one in 10 (8.0%) women experienced mastitis in the first month postpartum, and there appeared to be little effect of mastitis on breastfeeding outcomes. Traditional breastfeeding practices should be encouraged, and the management of mastitis should be included as a part of lactation promotion., Competing Interests: Statement No competing financial interests exist.

Background: There is wide variation in the duration of breastfeeding across Europe which may in part be due to the between-country differences in mothers' and societal attitudes towards breastfeeding in public. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the maternal attitudes to, and practice of, breastfeeding in public in four European centers and investigate the association with duration of breastfeeding., Methods: Participants (n = 389) were mothers recruited from maternity wards of hospitals in Glasgow (Scotland), Stockholm (Sweden), Granada (Spain), and Reggio-Emilia (Italy)., Results: Among those who had breastfed, Scottish (adjOR 0.25 [95% CI 0.12-0.50]) and Italian mothers (adjOR 0.30 [95% CI 0.14-0.63]) were significantly less likely than Swedish mothers to have ever breastfed in public. Mothers who had a negative attitude toward breastfeeding in public were less likely to have ever breastfed in public (adjOR 0.05 [95% CI 0.02-0.17]), and those who had never breastfed in public were in turn more likely to discontinue breastfeeding earlier., Conclusions: Perceived social norms may exert a stronger influence on breastfeeding outcomes than a woman's breastfeeding attitudes and knowledge. Differences between European countries in the duration of breastfeeding may be explained in part by differences in societal attitudes to breastfeeding in public., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore Child and Family Health Nurses' work-related experiences of dental disease in young children., Methods: Child and Family Health Nurses (n = 21) who recruited new mothers to an ongoing birth cohort study that began in South Western Sydney, Australia were invited to take part in a qualitative study. A semi-structured, in-depth interview technique was used to explore their experiences of preschool child oral health and how this affects their working lives. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis., Results: The nurses considered dental caries to be a significant health issue for young children and their families. They thought that the burden of dental disease in preschool children was underestimated in disadvantaged and multicultural populations. In addition, they reported that parents were often unaware of the disease process and were ignorant of the relationship between bottle feeding and dental caries. Once the parents were informed about their child's poor oral health, they had feelings of anger, despair, and guilt., Conclusions: This study highlights that oral health problems are a significant segment of the child health problems identified by nurses in their daily work. The nurses perceived the problem of dental caries to be one of a lack of parental knowledge, and families should be educated not only on "what" but also on "how" to feed their children. The primary healthcare team should work collaboratively to educate families in a culturally appropriate way., (© 2011 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.)

Objective: To investigate what factors relate most strongly to breast-feeding duration in order to successfully support breast-feeding mothers., Design: Prospective birth cohort study using questionnaires, routinely collected weights and health check at age 13 months., Setting: Gateshead, UK., Subjects: Parents of 923 term infants born in a defined geographical area and recruited shortly after birth, 50% of whom were breast-feeding initially., Results: Only 225 (24%) infants were still breast-fed at 6 weeks, although 136 (15%) continued beyond 4 months. Infants in the most affluent quintile were three times more likely to be initially breast-fed (P < 0.001) and five times more likely to still be feeding at 4 months (P = 0.001) compared with infants in the most deprived quintile. A third of breast-fed infants were given supplementary feeds in the maternity unit and this was associated with a 10-fold increase in odds of giving up breast-feeding by discharge (P = 0.001). Frequent feeding was reported as a reason for giving up in 70% of mothers at 6 weeks and 55% at 4 months. Those infants who stopped breast-feeding earliest showed the most rapid weight gain and were tallest at age 13 months. Non-breast-fed infants had 50% more family doctor contacts up to age 4 months (P = 0.005)., Conclusions: Initiation of breast-feeding in urban Britain remains strongly determined by socio-economic background and early cessation seems to be related to frequent feeding and rapid growth as well as a continuing failure to eradicate health practices that undermine breast-feeding. Those infants not receiving breast milk suffered increased morbidity, but the apparent association between breast-feeding duration and growth probably reflects reverse causation.

Background: Regular identification of factors that predict a woman's infant feeding choice is important so that breastfeeding promotion interventions can be targeted at those women least likely to breastfeed. The objective of this study was to compare determinants of breastfeeding at discharge from hospital in 2002/2003 with those reported for 1992/1993., Methods: Women participating in two longitudinal infant feeding studies in Perth, Australia, completed a baseline questionnaire just before, or shortly after, discharge from hospital. Data collected included infant feeding method and socio-demographic, biomedical, and psychosocial factors known, or suspected, to be related to the initiation of breastfeeding. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of "any" and "exclusive" breastfeeding at hospital discharge in both studies., Results: Although maternal age, level of education, and family income were independent predictors of breastfeeding at hospital discharge in the first study, no association was found between these factors and breastfeeding at hospital discharge in the second study. In both studies, a woman who perceived her husband to prefer breastfeeding was significantly more likely to leave hospital breastfeeding, and to be exclusively breastfeeding, than a woman who perceived her husband to prefer formula feeding. The strongest predictor in both studies for a woman to not be exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge was having an infant who had been admitted to the special care nursery after delivery., Conclusions: Given the importance of psychosocial factors to breastfeeding initiation, interventions that aim to increase breastfeeding initiation rates should be targeted on the basis of parental attitudes to breastfeeding rather than on sociodemographic factors. Similarly, interventions that aim to increase exclusive breastfeeding should address biomedical factors that hinder a woman's ability to establish exclusive breastfeeding.

Objective: To document the smoking practices of Aboriginal mothers living in Perth during pregnancy and during the subsequent year while feeding their infants., Method: A cohort of mothers was followed from the time of delivery for 12 months to obtain details of infant feeding practices. A total of 455 mothers delivered between May 2000 and July 2001 and 425 completed the baseline questionnaire., Results: Prior to and during pregnancy, 67% of the mothers smoked regularly. While the rate appeared to decline slightly with the length of breastfeeding, the trend was not significant. The rate of smoking of Aboriginal mothers was significantly greater than for an earlier study of non-Aboriginal mothers in Perth, where the rate was 28.4%. Among Aboriginal women there was no difference in the percentage of smokers and non-smokers who initiated breastfeeding. While fewer women who smoked were still breastfeeding at 24 weeks postpartum, compared with non-smokers (58% vs. 64%), this difference was not significant., Conclusions: The percentage of women smoking in this study is consistent with rates reported in the 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey. In other studies, smoking is associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration, but this was not the case in the Aboriginal mothers., Implications: Although the high prevalence of smoking identified in this study did not appear to adversely affect breastfeeding, smoking during and after pregnancy does contribute to increased rates of low birth weight and other health problems in early childhood. Targeted antenatal smoking cessation programs are needed for Aboriginal mothers.

To identify determinants of the initiation and duration of breastfeeding by Chinese Australian mothers, a cross-sectional survey of 506 Mandarin-speaking women in Perth, Western Australia, was conducted. Doctors' support of breastfeeding was positively associated with the initiation of breastfeeding both in the mothers' home countries (odds ratio [OR], 9.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.17-31.18) and in Australia (OR, 16.78; 95% CI, 7.12-39.55) and with duration. Mother's level of education was positively associated with the initiation of breastfeeding in the mother's home country (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.36-6.80) and positively associated with the duration of breastfeeding both in the mother's home country and Australia. Father's preference for breastfeeding was positively associated with the initiation of breastfeeding of the mother giving birth in Australia (OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 1.93-12.66). Health professionals can provide invaluable support for mothers initiating and continuing breastfeeding in this population. Prenatal education also needs to emphasize the ways in which fathers can support and contribute to breastfeeding.

The objective of this study was to describe the problems experienced by mothers when breastfeeding and the impact that these problems have on breastfeeding duration. A cohort of 556 mothers who birthed in Perth, Western Australia were recruited to study their infant feeding practices. The mothers were interviewed in hospital and again at 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 and 24 weeks postpartum, or until they ceased to breastfeed. The results showed that most mothers were not prepared to experience any difficulties or problems with breastfeeding. Twelve percent of the mothers left hospital without having attempted to breastfeed. The most common reasons given for infant-formula-feeding related to previous problems with breastfeeding, the ability of husbands to assist with feeding and perceived ease of bottle-feeding. While in hospital 83% of breastfeeding women stated that they had experienced one or more problems related to breastfeeding. Two weeks after leaving hospital 29% of breastfeeding mothers were experiencing problems and the prevalence of problems continued to decline, reaching 13% at six months. In this study the most common reason cited by mothers for stopping breastfeeding before the baby was two weeks old, was that their baby was unsettled, a behaviour often interpreted by mothers as indicating an insufficient milk supply. Levels of anxiety over milk supply reached 23% in the early stages of breastfeeding, and a number of mothers were still experiencing anxiety through to six months. Anxiety over the sufficiency of breastmilk supply was the most serious problem, in that it often resulted in the cessation of breastfeeding Most mothers experience some problems during breastfeeding, especially in the early stages. Proper advice and management is required to ensure that the problems do not lead to cessation of breastfeeding.

Fathers can often feel side-lined over the perinatal period with information and education typically directed towards the mother. Targeting health information and health promotion interventions to fathers is important for their own health, as well as the health of their families. Mobile apps offer opportunities to reach fathers, yet are largely under-utilized in this space. This article summarizes the current state of play of perinatal father-focused mobile apps, including a case study of a breastfeeding app for fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To document the breastfeeding practices of Aboriginal mothers delivering in Perth. Design and methods: A cohort of mothers was followed from the time of delivery for six months to obtain details of infant feeding practices. Subjects: A total of 455 mothers delivered during the study period and were asked to participate. A total of 425 mothers completed the initial questionnaire. Setting: The study was undertaken in six public hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. Data analyses: The data were analysed usingspss. Breastfeeding duration was calculated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Main outcome measures: Breastfeeding initiation and duration. Results: The mean age of the Aboriginal mothers was 21.8 years (range 14–39 years, SD 5.32) and the average gestational age was 38.3 weeks. Almost 50% of the mothers in the study delivered by Caesarean section. At discharge from hospital 89.4% (CI 86.6–92.1) of mothers were breastfeeding, declining to 58.8% (CI 53.5–64.1) at six months. When compared with non-Aboriginal mothers, the Aboriginal breastfeeding rates were higher than the non-Aboriginal average breastfeeding rates, but lower than the highest socioeconomic group. Conclusions: The breastfeeding rates of Aboriginal mothers are higher than for other Australians. This is despite the low maternal age and level of education and the high rates of low-birth-weight infants and Caesarean section among this population. The World Health Organization recommendation for infant feeding is exclusive breastfeeding until six months, but less than one-third of Aboriginal mothers achieved this recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The expression of breast milk allows a mother to be away intermittently from her infant while continuing to breastfeed. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between expression of breast milk and breastfeeding duration Methods: A cohort study of 12 months duration. The mothers were recruited from two public maternity hospitals in Perth, Australia between mid-September 2002 and mid-July 2003. While in hospital, participating mothers completed a questionnaire that included questions on how they were feeding their newborn. Telephone interviews conducted at regular periods monitored changes in infant feeding practices, including expression of breast milk. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to explore the association between breast milk expression and the duration of any breastfeeding. Results: A total of 587 mothers, or 55% of those eligible, participated in the study. Of these 93.5% were breastfeeding at discharge from hospital. Mothers who expressed breast milk (at one or more time periods) were less likely to discontinue any breastfeeding before six months (Relative Risk 0.71, 95% CI 0.52, 0.98) than those who had never expressed milk. Conclusion: This study found that mothers who express breast milk are more likely to breastfeed to six months (any breastfeeding). While further research is required in different cultures to confirm these results, the appropriate use of expressed breast milk may be a means to help mothers to achieve six months of full breastfeeding while giving more lifestyle options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to document the infant feeding practices of Chinese-Australian mothers in their home countries and following migration to Australia. The factors that influenced infant feeding practices are also described. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Subjects: A sample of 506 Mandarin-speaking mothers with at least one child, who were born outside of Australia, resident in the Perth area and aged between 23 and 59 years. Setting: Community-based household telephone interviews in Perth, Western Australia. Statistical analysis: χ²-statistics was used to test the differences in the rates and factors influencing infant feeding practices between mothers' home countries and Australia. Results: There were no significant differences between any breastfeeding rates among Chinese women delivering in either their home countries where breastfeeding initiation was 8 6.6% or in Australia. Full breastfeeding rates at three and six months for Chinese women were lower than recent Australian rates. Chinese women delivering in Australia received more breastfeeding support and assistance from health professionals. In Australia, 78% stated that they received support form their doctors and nurses for breastfeeding compared with 3 7.6% in their home countries (P < 0.001). In particular, they were more likely to have put their infant to the breast immediately after birth (47.9%) compared with women delivering in their home countries (4.1%) (P < 0.001). Solid foods were introduced earlier in their home countries. Conclusion: The Chinese-Australian mothers' infant feeding practices in Australia reflected both Western and Eastern influences. The Chinese mothers introduced complementary foods earlier than in other Australian studies, suggesting that culturally specific programs will be needed to encourage exclusive breastfeeding to six months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]