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Background: Breastmilk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants, particularly preterm infants. Preterm infants face unique feeding challenges and these change with the birth gestation of the infant. Preterm infants' feeding outcomes may have been affected differently than term infants by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The objective of this study was to describe the feeding trajectories of preterm infants in the first 6 months of life compared with term infants and compare these across prepandemic and pandemic periods., Methods: Data were extracted from the 2010 UK Infant Feeding Survey and the English National Maternity Surveys of 2018 and 2020. Original survey weights were used. Infants were divided by gestation into term (37+0 to 42+6 weeks' postmenstrual age), late preterm (34+0 to 36+6 weeks' postmenstrual age) and a lower gestation group (23+0 to 33+6 weeks' postmenstrual age). Modified Poisson regression, log-rank tests and survival curves were used to analyse feeding outcomes by gestational age., Results: Late preterm infants had lower adjusted relative risk (aRR) of exclusive breastmilk at 6 weeks of age compared with term infants in 2010 and 2020 but not in 2018. In 2010, aRR was 0.47 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.74), in 2018 aRR was 0.86 (95% CI 0.67 to 1.10) and in 2020 aRR was 0.57 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.81). There was no evidence of differences in feeding outcomes between infants born less than 34 weeks' postmenstrual age and term infants., Conclusion: Late preterm infants had worse breastfeeding outcomes than term infants in 2010, but the inequity was reduced or eliminated in 2018. In 2020, during the early SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the inequity had re-emerged. Late preterm infants appear to be a particularly vulnerable population in relation to breast feeding. In future emergencies and natural disasters, late preterm infants should receive additional focus and resources to support breastfeeding establishment., Competing Interests: Competing interests: No, there are no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Ethiopia has had a long-standing national commitment to improving child health for the last five decades. However, evidence on trends of ever-breastfeeding and early initiation remained fragmented, and there existed a paucity of holistic evidence on the extent of the impacts of the policy and the associated factors. This study examined trends, disparities, and factors influencing ever-breastfed and early initiation in the last twenty years., Methods: The Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS 2000-2019) datasets were used and extracted for children aged 0-23 months and their mothers. Data analyses were performed using SPSS version 25. Trend and time-series analysis was used to visualize changes over time. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associated factors., Results: Prevalence of ever-breastfeeding declined from 99.4% in 2000, to 84.01% in 2019; and early initiation showed inconsistency, increasing from 48.55% in 2000 to 69.57% in 2016 and remained unchanged (69.78%) in 2019. Maternal age, religion, and maternal healthcare utilization significantly influenced early initiation (p < 0.001). Both ever-breastfeeding and early initiation varied across regional states (< 0.001). Disparities in breastfeeding and early initiation were observed across socio-cultural settings and regional states (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The prevalence of ever-breastfeeding declined nationwide between 2000 and 2019, which was not uniform and early initiation showed inconsistency across socio-cultural settings and regional states. These findings highlight the need to revisit current policies and interventions. Further research is crucial to inform the development of regionally tailored and culturally sensitive strategies that promote equitable and sustained breastfeeding improvement across Ethiopia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mississippi CHAMPS addressed racial inequities in breastfeeding by implementing community and hospital-based practice changes in accordance with the BFHI and by parallel community work., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The authors have indicated they have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

This article is an examination of MTCT of HIV through breastfeeding in a mother who seroconverted postnatally., Competing Interests: FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Jordan is witnessing an escalating pace of nutrition transition, which may be associated with an increased burden of malnutrition and related non-communicable diseases. This review analyzes the nutrition situation in Jordan by exploring specific nutrition indicators, namely infant and young child feeding, low birthweight, micronutrient deficiencies, anthropometric indicators, and food consumption patterns. Results showed that although most children were ever breastfed and early initiation of breastfeeding had a two-fold increasing trend, rates of exclusive breastfeeding below 6 months of age and continued breastfeeding until two years of age were low. Complementary feeding indicators, particularly minimum diet diversity and minimum acceptable diet standards, were suboptimal. An overall low burden of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children under 5 years and remarkable progress in optimizing iodine status among school-aged children were reported. Conversely, the burden of low birthweight and overweight/obesity exacerbated, coexisting with anemia, vitamin A deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency. Overall, fruit and vegetable consumption were inadequate. The consumption of soft drinks and salt on the other hand was higher than recommended. This review acknowledges the double burden of malnutrition in Jordan and recommends the prioritization and evaluation of interventions towards improving the population's nutritional status and achieving nutrition targets.

Breastfeeding-or lactation-is a unique and defining reproductive trait of mammals that nourishes offspring by supplying nutrient-rich breast milk [...].

Abstract: In addition to the maternal death indicator, Stork Network proposes the number of prenatal consultations, the gestational age of onset of prenatal care and the number of children breastfeeding.The study aims to analyze maternal health indicators representative of the actions proposed by Stork Network in Brazil, after its implementation. Therefore, this is an ecological study of maternal health indicators in Brazil from 2012 to 2017.Thus, it was found that the number of prenatal consultations per pregnant woman in Brazil from 2012 to 2017 increased >4 times between the first and the last year analyzed. The proportion of pregnant women who started prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy increased progressively each year in Brazil.The breastfeeding coefficient also increased progressively between 2014 and 2017 in Brazil. It was found that maternal health indicators improved between 2012 and 2017 in the Brazilian territory., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Previous analyses of trends in feeding indicators of children younger than 2 years have been limited to low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to assess time trends in the consumption of different types of milk (breastmilk, formula, and animal milk) by children younger than 2 years from 2000 to 2019 at a global level., Methods: In this time-series analysis, we combined cross-sectional data from 487 nationally representative surveys from low-income and middle-income countries and information from high-income countries to estimate seven infant and young child feeding indicators in up to 113 countries. Multilevel linear models were used in pooled analyses to estimate annual changes in feeding practices from 2000 to 2019 for country income groups and world regions., Findings: For the absolute average annual changes, we found significant gains in any breastfeeding at age 6 months in high-income countries (1·29 percentage points [PPs] per year [95% CI 1·12 to 1·45]; p<0·0001) and at age 1 year in high-income countries (1·14 PPs per year [0·99 to 1·28]; p<0·0001) and upper-middle-income countries (0·53 PPs per year [0·23 to 0·82]; p<0·0001). We also found a small reduction in low-income countries for any breastfeeding at age 6 months (-0·07 PPs per year [-0·11 to -0·03]; p<0·0001) and age 1 year (-0·13 PPs per year [-0·18 to -0·09]; p<0·0001). Data on exclusive breastfeeding and consumption of formula and animal milk were only available for low-income and middle-income countries, where exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life increased by 0·70 PPs per year (0·51-0·88; p<0·0001) to reach 48·6% (41·9-55·2) in 2019. Exclusive breastfeeding increased in all world regions except for the Middle East and north Africa. Formula consumption in the first 6 months of life increased in upper-middle-income countries and in east Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and north Africa, and eastern Europe and central Asia, whereas the rates remained below 8% in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. Animal milk consumption by children younger than 6 months decreased significantly (-0·41 PPs per year [-0·51 to -0·31]; p<0·0001) in low-income and middle-income countries., Interpretation: We found some increases in exclusive and any breastfeeding at age 6 months in various regions and income groups, while formula consumption increased in upper-middle-income countries. To achieve the global target of 70% exclusive breastfeeding by 2030, however, rates of improvement will need to be accelerated., Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, through WHO., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier. This is an Open Access article published under the CC BY 3.0 IGO license which permits users to download and share the article for non-commercial purposes, so long as the article is reproduced in the whole without changes, and provided the original source is properly cited. This article shall not be used or reproduced in association with the promotion of commercial products, services or any entity. There should be no suggestion that WHO endorses any specific organisation, products or services. The use of the WHO logo is not permitted. This notice should be preserved along with the article's original URL.)

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)-giving infants only breast-milk for the first 6 months of life-is a component of optimal breastfeeding practices effective in preventing child morbidity and mortality. EBF practices are known to vary by population and comparable subnational estimates of prevalence and progress across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are required for planning policy and interventions. Here we present a geospatial analysis of EBF prevalence estimates from 2000 to 2018 across 94 LMICs mapped to policy-relevant administrative units (for example, districts), quantify subnational inequalities and their changes over time, and estimate probabilities of meeting the World Health Organization's Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) of ≥70% EBF prevalence by 2030. While six LMICs are projected to meet the WHO GNT of ≥70% EBF prevalence at a national scale, only three are predicted to meet the target in all their district-level units by 2030., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Drug information resources are commonly used by health-care providers answering pregnancy-related medication questions. In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new pregnancy and lactation medication labeling content and format, removing the pregnancy category, and using a narrative. Despite labeling requirements changing, it is unknown if drug information resources updated monographs to reflect these changes., Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate if commonly used drug information resources provide pregnancy information listed similar to the requirements of the Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule (PLLR). Secondary analyses included evaluating the references and inclusion of the pregnancy category rating., Methods: Pregnancy recommendations for 23 medications were evaluated in 9 drug information resources (Clinical Pharmacology, Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation , Epocrates®, First Databank, LexiComp® Online, LexiComp® Online Pregnancy & Lactation, In-Depth, Medi-Span®, Micromedex®, and Multum®). The number of references per drug monograph and most recent reference publication year was obtained., Results: LexiComp® Online Pregnancy & Lactation, In-Depth mimics the new PLLR structure and consistently had the highest number of and most recent references when the medication was included. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation was the next most similar in content with the PLLR and second in most references per monograph; however, the most recent reference was the textbook publication year., Conclusion and Relevance: LexiComp® Online Pregnancy & Lactation, In-Depth and Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation provided pregnancy information in a format most similar to the PLLR. However, several drug information resources contained pregnancy categories ratings that were to be removed from medication labeling per the PLLR.

This research aimed to examine the efficacy of the early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 h of birth, early skin-to-skin contact, and rooming-in for the continuation of exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months postpartum. The research used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a nationwide government-funded birth cohort study. A total of 80,491 mothers in Japan between January 2011 and March 2014 who succeeded or failed to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months were surveyed in JECS. Multiple logistic regression model was used to analyse the data. The percentage of mothers who succeeded in exclusively breastfeeding to 6 months is 37.4%. Adjusted odds ratios were analysed for all 35 variables. Early initiation of breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.455 [1.401-1.512]), early skin-to-skin contact (AOR: 1.233 [1.165-1.304]), and rooming-in (AOR: 1.567 [1.454-1.690]) affected continuation of exclusive breastfeeding. Regional social capital (AOR: 1.133 [1.061-1.210]) was also discovered to support the continuation of breastfeeding. In contrast, the most influential inhibiting factors were starting childcare (AOR: 0.126 [0.113-0.141]), smoking during pregnancy (AOR: 0.557 [0.496-0.627]), and obese body type during early pregnancy (AOR: 0.667 [0.627-0.710]).

Background: Childhood asthma and allergic diseases are a significant global problem. There are inconsistent findings on the associations of delivery mode, the number of children in the household and breastfeeding with childhood asthma and allergic diseases. We assessed these associations and examined whether breastfeeding modified the effects of neonatal and familial risk factors on childhood asthma and allergic diseases., Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Shanghai, China. A total of 17 primary schools were randomly selected from 13 districts of Shanghai in this study. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire was adopted to assess the childhood asthma and allergic diseases. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between neonatal and familial factors and childhood asthma and allergic diseases, and to examine the modification effects of breastfeeding on the associations assessed., Results: Of 10,464 primary school children aged 6-11 years, the overall prevalence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, food allergy and drug allergy was 13.9, 22.7, 15.3, 8.1 and 4.6%, respectively. Male sex, high socioeconomic status, cesarean section delivery, only one child in the household and having family history of allergy were associated with increased odds ratio (OR) of childhood asthma and allergic diseases while longer breastfeeding duration (> 6 months) was inversely associated with these diseases. Longer breastfeeding duration also attenuated the OR of neonatal and familial risk factors on childhood asthma and allergic diseases. For instance, the adjusted OR of childhood asthma in the group of vaginal delivery and breastfeeding duration > 6 months was lowest (0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.66, 0.92)., Conclusions: Longer breastfeeding duration was inversely associated with childhood asthma and allergic diseases, and also reduced the OR of neonatal and familial risk factors on these diseases. Giving the prevalence of childhood asthma and allergic diseases is rapidly rising across the globe, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications.

During postnatal development, colostrum and breastmilk are sequentially the first sources of nutrition with protein components and bioactive molecules that confer protection and immunostimulatory function to the gut. Caseins, whey proteins, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), mucins, tryptophan, and growth factors are among milk-borne elements that are directly important in the control of mucosa development and protection. Consequently, breastfeeding is associated with the low incidence of gastrointestinal inflammation and with the decrease in respiratory diseases during postnatal period. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) binds to angiotensin II-converting enzyme (ACE2) on the cell membrane, allowing virus entrance, replication, and host commitment. ACE2 is expressed by different cell types, which include ciliated cells in the lungs and enterocytes in the intestine. Such cells are highly active in metabolism, as they internalize molecules to be processed and used by the organism. The disruption of ACE2 impairs leads to intestinal inflammation and decreased synthesis of serotonin, affecting motility. By reviewing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts in infants, and gut responses to breastfeeding interruption, we suggest that it is important to maintain breastfeeding during SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it might be essential to protect newborns from gastrointestinal-associated disorders and relieve disease symptoms., (© 2021 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

Background: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), low levels of formal maternal educational are positively associated with breastfeeding whereas the reverse is true among women with higher levels of formal education. As such, breastfeeding has helped to reduce health equity gaps between rich and poor children. Our paper examines trends in breastfeeding and formula consumption by maternal educational in LMICs over nearly two decades., Methods: We used 319 nationally representative surveys from 81 countries. We used WHO definitions for breastfeeding indicators and categorized maternal education into three categories: none, primary, and secondary or higher. We grouped countries according to the World Bank income groups and UNICEF regions classifications. The trend analyses were performed through multilevel linear regression to obtain average absolute annual changes in percentage points., Results: Significant increases in prevalence were observed for early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding across all education categories, but more prominently in women with no formal education for early breastfeeding and in higher level educated women for exclusive breastfeeding. Small decreases in prevalence were seen mostly for women with no formal education for continued breastfeeding at 1 and 2 years. Among formula indicators, only formula consumption between 6 and 23 months decreased significantly over the period for women with primary education. Analysis by world regions demonstrated that gains in early and exclusive breastfeeding were almost universally distributed among education categories, except in the Middle East and North Africa where they decreased throughout education categories. Continued breastfeeding at 1 and 2 years increased in South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia for primary or higher education categories. Declines occurred for the group of no formal education in South Asia and nearly all education categories in the Middle East and North Africa with a decline steeper for continued breastfeeding at 2 years. With a few exceptions, the use of formula is higher among children of women at the highest education level in all regions., Conclusions: Over the course of our study, women with no formal education have worsening breastfeeding indicators compared to women with primary and secondary or higher education.

Objectives: To find out if the expressed breast milk delivery rate to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies who were hospitalized for any reason other than COVID-19, and exclusive breastfeeding (EB) rates between discharge date and 30th day of life of those babies were affected by COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Babies who were hospitalized before the date first coronavirus case was detected in our country were included as control group (CG). The study group was divided into two groups; study group 1 (SG1): the mothers whose babies were hospitalized in the period when mother were asked not to bring breast milk to NICU, study group 2 (SG2): the mothers whose babies were hospitalized after the date we started to use the informed consent form for feeding options. The breast milk delivery rates to NICU during hospitalization and EB rates between discharge and 30th day of life were compared between groups., Results: Among 154 mother-baby dyads (CG, n=50; SG1, n=46; SG2, n=58), the percentage of breast milk delivery to NICU was 100%, 79% for CG, SG2, respectively (p<0.001). The EB rate between discharge and 30th day of life did not change between groups (CG:90%, SG1:89%, SG2:75.9; p=0.075)., Conclusions: If the mothers are informed about the importance of breast milk, the EB rates are not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in short term, even if the mothers are obligatorily separated from their babies. The breast milk intake rate of the babies was lowest while our NICU protocol was uncertain, and after we prepared a protocol this rate increased., (© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Objective: The aim of the current study is to analyse the trends, determinants of prelacteal feeding (PLF) and its relations with the mode of delivery among infants <24 months over the years 2003-2018., Design: We pooled data from Turkey Demographic and Health Surveys (TDHS). The key outcome variable was PLF. Factors associated with PLF were analysed by using complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis, separately and merged database., Setting: TDHS in 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018., Participants: Mother-infant dyads (n 4942)., Results: PLF rates fluctuated between 29·3 and 41·4 %. The most common types of PLF were infant formula (61·1 %) followed by sugar/glucose water (24·9 %) and plain water (9·3 %). PLF rate was 1·51 times higher (95 % CI 1·28, 1·78) in cases delivered by caesarean section as compared with those delivered by vaginal route. According to the initiation time of breast-feeding after delivery, the most significant absolute change in PLF rate was observed within 1 h (10·9 % increase). Delayed initiation of breast-feeding was associated with significantly higher odds of PLF compared with the first hour (1 to < 2 h: adjusted OR (AOR) 1·29, 95 % CI 1·04, 1·61; 2-23 h: AOR 1·73, 95 % CI 1·42, 2·11; ≥24 h: AOR 11·37, 95 % CI 8·81, 14·69)., Conclusions: To eliminate suboptimal breast-feeding practices, counselling on breast-feeding and delivery type during antenatal visits, postnatal breast-feeding support and social support should be provided to all mothers and families.

Background: Physicians and nurses are expected to support breastfeeding mothers. However, there is a lack of standardized lactation education throughout training programs and hospitals. As a result, providers lack the necessary confidence and skills to guide mothers throughout the breastfeeding experience. The hands-on nature of breastfeeding management demands the implementation of application-based learning tools to improve skills retention and patient breastfeeding outcomes., Research Aim: In this scoping review, we aimed to critically assess the types of application-based breastfeeding management learning tools reported within medical and nursing professions and the evaluation methods of learner and patient outcomes., Methods: The authors searched the literature to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2018 with medical or nursing students, residents, or professionals as the target learner group in an application-based educational intervention. Both authors independently assessed the content in the resulting articles, with specific focus on teaching methods, curricular development, and the learning outcomes reported within each study., Results: Ten articles matched the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review, including five studies from the medical field and five from the field of nursing. Use of real patients was a common method for application-based skills training, followed by role playing and use of standardized patients. Teaching and evaluation methods varied widely across the studies., Conclusion: The results align with existing literature in finding a dearth of high-quality studies assessing breastfeeding education among physicians and nurses. The variability in teaching and evaluation methods indicates a lack of standardization in breastfeeding education between institutions.

Background: The human milk microbiome is an emerging scientific area. Careful, accurate collection and measurement for microbial sequencing is imperative. There is controversy about a core microbiome, and little is known about factors that influence composition. Even less known are ways that the milk microbiome might seed the infant gut and affect health., Research Aim: The aim of this paper is to provide a critical appraisal of milk microbiome research. The four areas of critical appraisal were collection and measurement, composition, effects on composition, and potential health effects for infants related to the milk microbiome., Methods: Using a PRISMA-ScR scoping review, we reviewed sources of evidence extracted from PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, and PSYCHINFO data sets using the following criteria: English language, published in past 6 years, primary data, and sequencing using Next Generation Sequencing. Charting of sources of evidence included authors, title, journal year, sample, design, and results. The research questions posed were: How is human milk collected and how are the microbes identified? What is the composition and what factors affect the human milk microbiome? What is the relationship of the human milk microbiome to infant biology and health?, Results: The reviewed studies were quantitative, cross sectional, or longitudinal. A core microbiome may be present. The microbiome may seed the early infant gut and promote physiological functions and thus influence human health., Conclusions: We have suggested concerns about collection and measurement that lead to gaps in knowledge generation, and mechanistic studies are lacking.

Objective: Mexican American (MA) children are more likely to grow up in poverty than their non-Hispanic/Latinx white peers and are at an elevated risk for early onset obesity. The current study evaluated the effects of prenatal family- and neighborhood-level disadvantage on children's weight and weight gain from 12 months through 4.5 years of age. Maternal breastfeeding duration was evaluated as a potential mechanism underlying the relation between multilevel disadvantage and weight. Methods: Data was collected from 322 low-income, MA mother-child dyads. Women reported the degree of family socioeconomic disadvantage and breastfeeding status. Neighborhood disadvantage was evaluated with census-level metrics. Children's weight and height were measured at laboratory visits. Results: Greater prenatal neighborhood disadvantage predicted higher child Body Mass Index (BMI) at 12 months, over and above family-level disadvantage; this effect remained stable through 4.5 years. Breastfeeding duration partially mediated the effect of neighborhood disadvantage on child BMI. Breastfeeding duration predicted child BMI at all timepoints. Conclusions: Maternal prenatal residence in a neighborhood with high concentrated disadvantage may place low-income, MA children at increased risk of elevated weight status during the first few years of life. Breastfeeding duration emerged as potentially modifiable pathway through which the prenatal neighborhood impacts children's early life weight. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Negative attitudes toward breastfeeding in public have consistently been identified as a key barrier to breastfeeding continuation. In order to design effective social marketing campaigns to improve public attitude toward breastfeeding in public, it is critical to identify segments of the population who are less likely to support this activity, their underlying reasons, and the medium through which they can be reached., Research Aim: The aims were to (a) identify the underlying dimensions that drive acceptance or opposition to breastfeeding in public, (b) test whether specific population segments were more or less likely to support breastfeeding in public, and (c) identify suitable media outlets to reach them., Methods: A cross-sectional survey testing agreement with 60 statements was administered online between May 2016 and May 2017 and was completed by 7190 respondents. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify 12 dimensions driving acceptance or opposition to breastfeeding in public. The influence of demographics and media consumption on attitudes toward breastfeeding in public was tested using Welch's t tests and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs)., Results: Acceptance of breastfeeding in public was found to differ with gender, age, religion, and parental and breastfeeding status, but not household income. Support for breastfeeding in public also varied with media consumption habits., Conclusions: This work lays the foundation to design effective social marketing campaigns aimed at increasing public support for breastfeeding in public.

Background: Despite legislation requiring break time and a private space to express milk, variations exist in accommodations for breastfeeding employees in the United States., Research Aims: We aimed to describe employee and employer perceptions of and experiences with workplace lactation support in the United States and to identify research needed to inform workplace lactation support programs., Methods: We searched Academic Search Complete, Business Search Complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycInfo for peer-reviewed articles published from 2009 to 2019 ( n = 1638). We included 27 articles. Studies were categorized into four non-exclusive themes: (a) employee perceptions of and experiences with workplace lactation support; (b) employer reports of workplace lactation support; (c) association between workplace lactation support and business outcomes; and (d) association between workplace lactation support and breastfeeding outcomes., Results: Analyses of associations between lactation support at work and employee breastfeeding outcomes ( n = 14, 52%), and employee perceptions of and experiences with lactation support at work ( n = 14, 52%) were most common, followed by employer reports of lactation support ( n = 3, 11%) and associations between lactation support at work and job satisfaction ( n = 3, 11%). Results indicated that workplace lactation support varied by employer, and that employee perceptions of and experiences with workplace lactation support varied by demographic and employment characteristics. The use of cross-sectional designs, unvalidated instruments, and limited representation from women with low incomes and minorities were common study limitations., Conclusions: More research is needed to learn about experiences of employers and low-income and minority women with workplace lactation support and associations with business-relevant outcomes.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and increases subsequent risk of Type 2 diabetes. Researchers have shown that breastfeeding may reduce diabetes risk in women with recent gestational diabetes., Research Aim: To assess association between infant feeding and postpartum glucose tolerance in mothers with recent gestational diabetes within 1 year postpartum., Methods: A literature search was performed up to December 31, 2019, retrieving articles related to infant feeding, gestational diabetes, and postpartum glucose regulation in four major databases (PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Embase). Methodological quality was assessed using tools from the United States National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute., Results: The search yielded 15 cohort studies meeting the selection criteria. Of the 15 studies, 13 (86.7%) examined the influence of breastfeeding on postpartum glycemic status, and eight (53.4%) compared the mean blood glucose values between breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding participants. Of the 13 studies that compared postpartum glycemic status, nine (60%) of the research teams found that breastfeeding lowered rates of impaired glucose tolerance, and four (26.7%) showed no significant change. In eight of the studies reporting mean blood glucose values, six (75%) reported significantly lower fasting plasma glucose in breastfeeding participants, with reductions ranging from 3.7 to 7.4 mg/dL (0.2-0.4 mmol/L)., Conclusion: Breastfeeding has been associated with improved postpartum glucose regulation in mothers with gestational diabetes. In pregnant women with gestational diabetes, breastfeeding may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and women with gestational diabetes should be strongly encouraged and supported to breastfeed.

The prevalence of pacifier use is high but when it occurs outside of the recommended sleep context, it becomes more controversial. Using 211 mother-infant dyads recorded as part of the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, we examined the maternal psychosocial predictors of pacifier use within an interaction task (i.e., ten minutes face-to-face followed by 30-minutes unstructured play). Predictors included maternal emotional availability measured with the Emotional Availability Scales; depression measured by the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR Clinician Version; and maternal history of childhood trauma measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. An unadjusted odds ratio demonstrated that women classified as non-emotionally available to their infants were three-and-a-half-times more likely to use a pacifier. Multivariate logistic regression including all maternal psychosocial predictors demonstrated that even when adjusting for cessation of breastfeeding, maternal emotional availability remained the only significant predictor of pacifier use. This is the first time that predictors of pacifier use have been examined with a sample of clinically depressed women, as well as women with childhood trauma history. The results provide preliminary evidence that women who are not emotionally available might be more likely to rely on a pacifier during mother-infant interaction., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Optimal breastfeeding practices can ensure healthy growth and development of infants, which in the long term can impact the country's economic development. Nevertheless, Myanmar has yet to achieve the WHO's target of 70% for early initiation of breastfeeding, and the country's target of 90% for exclusive breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding and bio-demographic, socio-economic and behavioral factors in Myanmar. Using the 2015-2016 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey, the analysis of early initiation of breastfeeding was based on a sample of 1,506 under-2 children and the analysis of exclusive breastfeeding was based on a sample of 376 children aged 0-5 months. Multiple logistic modeling, with heteroskedasticity-adjusted standard errors, was used. The prevalence rates of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in the study were 67.9% and 52.2% respectively. Having a vaginal delivery (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.7-3.7) and having frequent (≥ 4) antenatal visits (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.5-3.8) were associated with higher odds of early initiation of breastfeeding. Having a postnatal checkup (AOR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3-0.9) and having an infant that was perceived to be small at birth (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.1-5.7, for infants perceived to be large at birth) were significantly associated with decreased odds of exclusive breastfeeding. In order to promote optimal breastfeeding practices, this study suggested that delivery and quality of health services during pregnancy need to be strengthened in Myanmar., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Many interventions have been designed to increase breast milk (BM) consumption among preterm and critical-term infants in neonatal units. The aim of this study was to determine the trends in the usage of BM in a neonatal unit and the risk factors for insufficient breast-milk feeding at discharge., Methods: This retrospective study included newborn infants who hospitalized in the neonatal unit during two periods in different years, a 15-month period in 2012-2013 and in 2017-2018. The primary outcomes were the availability of BM within 24 h after delivery and the status of infant feeding at discharge., Results: During two periods of the study, a total of 3,018 infants were included in the study. The rate of BM expression within the first 24 h after delivery was 92.9%, and it was found that the first period of the study, caesarean section delivery, very low birth weight, being first-time mother, and young maternal age were each independently associated with the delayed initiation of BM expression (P < 0.05). At discharge, 87.6% of the infants had been feeding with BM. Multiple births, the delayed initiation of BM expression, and the length of hospital stay were associated with inadequate BM feeding at discharge (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study showed that interventions supporting BM feeding, which have recently been carried out, made improvements to the initiation of BM expression among mothers whose babies were admitted to the neonatal unit, and in the rate of BM feeding among infants at discharge., (© 2020 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Context: Postnatal length of hospital stay has reduced internationally but evidence-based policies to support earlier discharge are lacking., Objective: To determine the effects of early postnatal discharge on infant outcomes., Data Sources: CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature , and SCI (Science Citation Index) were searched through to January 15, 2018., Study Selection: Studies reporting infant outcomes with early postnatal discharge versus standard discharge were included if they met Effective Practice and Organisation of Care study design criteria., Data Extraction: Two authors independently assessed eligibility and extracted data, resolving disagreements by consensus. Data from interrupted time series (ITS) studies were extracted and reanalyzed in meta-analyses. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) used random effects models., Results: Of 9298 studies, 15 met the inclusion criteria. RCT meta-analyses revealed that infants discharged <48 hours after vaginal birth and <96 hours after cesarean birth were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 28 days compared to standard discharge (risk ratio: 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 2.15). ITS meta-analyses revealed a reduction in the proportion of infants readmitted within 28 days after minimum postnatal stay policies and legislation were introduced (change in slope: -0.62; 95% CI -1.83 to 0.60), with increasing impact in the first and second years (effect estimate: -4.27 [95% CI -7.91 to -0.63] and -6.23 [95% CI -10.15 to -2.32])., Limitations: Withdrawals and crossover limited the value of RCTs in this context but not ITS evidence., Conclusions: Infants discharged early after birth were more likely to be admitted within 28 days. The introduction of postnatal minimum length of stay policies was associated with a long-term reduction in neonatal hospital readmission rates., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Introduction: Practicing exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in an infant's first six months of life is recommended by the World Health Organization because of its proven effectiveness as a method to support the infant's short- and long-term physical and cognitive development. However, many countries, including Cambodia, face contextually driven challenges in meeting this optimum standard of breastfeeding. The recent declining EBF rate in Cambodia is a concerning indicator of the impact of these challenges., Methods: We used existing data from the 2014 Cambodian Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) to analyze 717 Cambodian mother-infant pairs. CDHS 2014 used a two-stage stratified cluster sampling approach to select samples. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess determinants of EBF, taking into account the sampling weight in the analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and significance level was considered at p value < 0.05., Results: Our findings indicate that among mothers with infants under six months, EBF was more likely if they resided rurally (AOR = 2.28; 95% CI 1.23-4.23) and if they delivered at a public hospital (AOR = 2.64; 95% CI 1.28-5.47). On the other hand, mothers of middle wealth index practiced EBF less than mothers of low wealth index (AOR = 0.58; 95% CI 0.34-0.99). And as expected, our analysis confirmed that the older the infants grew, the less likely they were to be exclusively breastfed than those younger than one month old (2-3 months: AOR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.26-0.92; 4-5 months: AOR = 0.25; 95% CI 0.15-0.43)., Conclusion: The findings emphasize the need to address these determinants adequately by appropriate interventions to halt the declining trend of EBF practice. We recommend a multifaceted approach to improve EBF rates in Cambodia. Advocacy around EBF at public hospitals should continue, and private hospital staff should receive training to provide EBF counselling and support to mothers., Competing Interests: All authors declare that we have no potential conflicts of interest related to the research, authorship, and/or the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2020 Sopheak Um et al.)

Background: With rapid industrialization and urbanization, there is a growing need for women to enter the workforce, and affluent people are drawn to the infant formula market. The breastfeeding rates in China are below the optimal level. Large scale quantitative research studying breastfeeding practices after 2015 in China are lacking., Research Aim: We aimed to (1) explore the latest patterns and (2) identify the determinants of breastfeeding in China., Methods: The study was a population-based, cross-sectional survey. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted for the selection of participants. We recruited 10,408 mothers with children under 12 months old, in 12 regions of China, and conducted a questionnaire survey about breastfeeding patterns. The associations between social and biophysical determinants and breastfeeding outcomes were analyzed using a logistic regression model., Results: The exclusive breastfeeding rate was 29.32% ( n = 3,052) decreasing from 32.71% ( n = 3,404) to 15.83% ( n = 1,648) among children aged 0-5 months. Cesarean section had a negative association with early breastfeeding initiation ( OR = .33, 95% CI [.30, .36]), exclusive breastfeeding ( OR = .78, 95% CI [.69, .89]), and predominant breastfeeding ( OR = .73, 95% CI [.65, .83]). Compared to participants with an annual household income lower than 40,000 Yuan ($5,817 USD), those with over 100,000 Yuan ($14,542 USD) had an OR of .78 (95% CI [.67, .90]) in exclusive breastfeeding. Compared with illiterate and unemployed groups, middle/high school education and a current work status, respectively, were associated with a lower likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding ( OR = .73, 95% CI [.63, .84]; OR = .58, 95% CI [.37, .89])., Conclusions: The prevalence of breastfeeding in 12 selected regions in China was low and interventions focusing on the targeted population should be strengthened.

Background: African Americans breastfeed less than other groups, which has implications for health throughout the life course. Little is known about mobile health technologies to support breastfeeding., Research Aims: This study proceeded in two phases. The aim of Phase 1 was to identify ideal technological components and content of a mobile health intervention. The aim of Phase 2 was to determine the usability of a prototype, KULEA-NET, based on the Phase 1 findings., Methods: For this mixed-methods study, we used community-based participatory research methods and user-centered technology design methods. We used open coding in NVivo 11 to organize data from focus groups and in-depth interviews, then we analyzed the data. We then developed a prototype and tested the prototype's usability with the System Usability Scale. Fifty pregnant and postpartum African Americans from the District of Columbia participated., Results: Participants preferred an app with text messaging technology and identified areas for intervention: self-efficacy, parent-child attachment beliefs, social support, public breastfeeding and social desirability, and returning to work. Desired features included local resources, support person access, baby care logs, identification of public breastfeeding venues, and peer discussions. The System Usability Scale score was 73.8, which indicates above average usability., Conclusions: A mobile health technology like KULEA-NET can be used to meet the breastfeeding needs of African Americans, build social desirability, and complement traditional health care. The appeal of an African American-specific intervention is unclear. Responding to mixed feeding practices is challenging. KULEA-NET is a mobile breastfeeding intervention guided by the preferences of African American parents and offers promising usability metrics.

During the early period of hypothesis building and empirical testing of attachment theory, a major emphasis was placed on mother-infant physical contact. In spite of this, mother-infant contact has received scant attention amongst attachment and child development researchers in the past decades. Here, a brief theoretical framework for mother-infant contact is presented, drawing on animal studies as well as human studies of preterm infants and neonates. Salient mechanisms may include an extended sensitive period during early infancy, requiring specific somatosensory stimuli for bio-behavioral homeorhesis; oxytocinergic and epigenetic pathways; kinesthetic stimuli and face-to-face proximity allowing for increased social interaction. Studies of extended human mother-full-term infant physical contact have demonstrated positive effects in multiple domains. For infants, these include sleep organization, temperature and heart rate regulation, behavioral response, crying/colic, socio-emotional development, attachment quality, speech development opportunities and mother-child interactions. For mothers, studies demonstrate improved depressive symptomatology, physiological stress regulation, contingent responsivity, breastfeeding and mother-child interactions. Parent-infant attachment quality has gained prominence as a trauma-resilience factor as well as a predictor of adult physical health. The potential role of mother-infant contact as an attachment promoting intervention as well as future research subjects are discussed. Current evidence supports the original attachment research that early maternal touch provision may influence infant socio-emotional development and attachment quality, with positive implications for mother-child relationship functioning., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Thirty-six percent of females are employed in Bangladesh, many in the readymade garments manufacturing industry. Inadequate access to health information, care, and long working hours makes exclusive breastfeeding particularly challenging for these employed mothers., Research Aim: To describe the influence of a breastfeeding education and support program on breastfeeding patterns of mothers working in garment and other factories in Bangladesh., Methods: A descriptive two-group prospective, mixed methods, longitudinal prospective study was conducted from May 2015 to March 2017. Peer counselors were trained to provide home-based counseling from 6 months of pregnancy until infants completed 6 months for pregnant and lactating factory workers and neighboring unemployed women. The total evaluation sample ( N = 304) consisted of participants still employed ( n = 190) and unemployed ( n = 144). Peer counselors recorded socioeconomic information, weights, and infant feeding patterns. Descriptive statistical analyses examined the peer counselors' influence on breastfeeding practices., Results: Initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hr was high in both groups, 173 (91%) among the employed, and 101 (89%) among the unemployed participants. Exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was reported by 107 out of 125 (86%) of the employed participants versus 72 out of 76 (95%) of those unemployed., Conclusions: Community-based peer counselors can help to inform, encourage, and support both factory workers and unemployed women with optimal breastfeeding patterns. Factories who have female workers should consider employing outreach peer counselors as part of their community social responsibility, and as a way to contribute to the sustainability of these programs.

Background: Improving breastfeeding practice is important for reducing child health inequalities and achieving several Sustainable Development Goals. Indonesia has enacted legislation to promote optimal breastfeeding practices in recent years. We examined breastfeeding practices among Indonesian women from 2002 to 2017, comparing trends within and across sociodemographic subgroups., Methods: Data from four waves of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys were used to estimate changes in breastfeeding practices among women from selected sociodemographic groups over time. We examined three breastfeeding outcomes: (1) early initiation of breastfeeding; (2) exclusive breastfeeding; and (3) continued breastfeeding at 1 year. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess changes in time trends of each outcome across population groups., Results: The proportion of women reporting early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding increased significantly between 2002 to 2017 (p < 0.05), with larger increases among women who: were from higher wealth quintiles; worked in professional sectors; and lived in Java and Bali. However, 42.7% of women reported not undertaking early initiation of breastfeeding, and 48.9% of women reported not undertaking exclusive breastfeeding in 2017. Women who were employees had lower exclusive breastfeeding prevalence, compared to unemployed or self-employed women. Women in Java and Bali had higher increase in early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding compared to women in Sumatra. We did not find statistically significant decline in continued breastfeeding at 1 year over time for the overall population, except among women who: were from the second poorest wealth quintile; lived in rural areas; did not have a health facility birth; and lived in Kalimantan and Sulawesi (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: There were considerable improvements in breastfeeding practices in Indonesia during a period of sustained policy reform to regulate breastfeeding and community support of breastfeeding, but these were not distributed uniformly across socioeconomic, occupation and geographic subgroups. Concerted efforts are needed to further reduce inequities in breastfeeding practice through both targeted and population-based strategies.

This article is a discussion of the recently emerging critique of pro-breastfeeding discourses in academic literature, and what this means for midwives and other professionals who find themselves promoting breastfeeding because of professional expectations or indeed workplace policies. Various strands in the debate are explored, starting with dominant and familiar 'evidence' and descriptions of breastfeeding and breastmilk that are carried through to international policies that advocate breast over formula feeding. We then consider evidence predominantly from social science literature that has found some women's experiences of infant feeding to be at variance with the dominant pro-breastfeeding ideology. We argue that midwives and others delivering maternity care are the means to deliver the policy aspirations contained in the World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative document that makes selective positive claims about breastfeeding without adequately considering its potential drawbacks. We conclude that although the benefits of breastfeeding tend to be exaggerated in promotional material, on balance the weight of evidence still favours breast over formula feeding. We challenge the charge that breastfeeding jeopardises women's financial position by arguing that it is not breastfeeding per se that impacts negatively on women's economic prospects, but rather the way in which society is socially organised., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised its infant vitamin D intake guidelines in 2008. We aimed to examine previously unexplored trends in meeting vitamin D intake guidelines among US infants since 2009 and whether there were differences across demographic subgroups., Methods: We analyzed dietary recall data for infants 0 to 11 months in the 2009-2016 NHANES. We estimated the percentage meeting 2008 AAP vitamin D guidelines, defined as consuming ≥1 L of infant formula and/or receiving a vitamin D supplement of ≥400 IU. We used Poisson regressions to assess trends over time and differences across demographic subgroups., Results: Overall, 27.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.3%-29.8%) of US infants in 2009-2016 met vitamin D intake guidelines, with nonbreastfeeding infants (31.1% [95% CI: 27.6%-34.5%]) more likely to meet guidelines than breastfeeding infants (20.5% [95% CI: 15.4%-25.5%]; P < .01). From 2009-2010 to 2015-2016, overall and for both breastfeeding and nonbreastfeeding infants, there were no significant changes over time in the percentage of infants who met the guidelines ( P > .05). Among breastfeeding infants, those with a family income ≥400% of the federal poverty level, with a college graduate head of household, and with private insurance were more likely to meet guidelines., Conclusions: Among US infants, we observed no increase in meeting AAP vitamin D intake guidelines since 2009. Less than 40% of infants met guidelines in nearly all demographic subgroups. These findings suggest renewed consideration of how to best meet vitamin D intake guidelines., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Breastfeeding is analogous to pregnancy as an experience, in its exclusiveness to women, and in its cost and the effects it has on equitable share of labor. Therefore, the history of formula feeding provides useful insights into the future of full ectogenesis, which could evolve into a more severe version of what formula feeding is today: simplify life for some women and provide couples with a more equitable share of work at the cost of stigma, guilt and a daily diet of studies purporting to show the benefits of natural pregnancy. Making pregnancy an optional route to motherhood would make women's life trajectory more similar to men's and thus put pressure on women to compete with men on the ground shaped by men's preferences. Despite being a treasured experience of many women today, bearing children could become the luxury of the few, the province of the very poor and a choice working women will pay a high price for as women who choose pregnancy become stigmatized as self-indulgent or unprofessional and penalized for it in the workplace. At the same time, scarce societal resources that could be used to support pregnant women and working mothers would instead be directed toward proving to women or even forcing them to gestate children "the right way." While not necessarily threatening on its own, when added to formula feeding, IVF, stem-cell produced ova and sex robots, full ectogenesis could diminish men's stake in women's wellbeing and even existence., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Several studies have investigated the association of breastfeeding status with offspring mortality in Africa, but most studies were from one center only or had limited statistical power to draw robust conclusions., Methods: Data came from 75 nationally representative cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2000 and 2016. Our study relied on 217 112 individuals aged 4 days to 23 months for breastfeeding pattern analysis, 161 322 individuals aged 6 to 23 months for breastfeeding history analysis, and 104 427 individuals aged 12 to 23 months for breastfeeding duration analysis., Results: Compared with children aged 4 days to 23 months exclusively breastfed in the first 3 days of life, those not breastfed had a high risk of mortality at <2 years of age (odds ratio [OR] = 13.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.43-15.83). Young children who were predominantly breastfed or partially breastfed had moderately increased risk of mortality at <2 years of age (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.03-1.21 for predominant pattern; OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.99-1.27 for partial pattern). Compared with children aged 6 to 23 months who were breastfed within the first 6 months of life, those not breastfed had a high risk of mortality (OR = 5.65; 95% CI = 4.27-7.47). Compared with children aged 12 to 23 months who were breastfed for ≥6 months, those who were breastfed for shorter periods had a higher risk of mortality (OR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.45-5.32 for duration of <3 months; OR = 5.28, 95% CI = 3.24-8.61 for those who were not breastfed)., Conclusions: Our findings support exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age recommended by the World Health Organization for reducing mortality of children <2 years old in sub-Saharan Africa., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: In 2015, the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 2.2 months in Armenia, and only 15% of 4-5-month-old children were exclusively breastfed, indicating an issue with breastfeeding knowledge and practices., Research Aim: To identify the main barriers to optimal breastfeeding practices in Armenia., Methods: We used qualitative research methods via focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with four groups of providers from different levels of care, and mothers of young children, from Yerevan city and two provinces, Lori and Shirak. Overall, eight in-depth interviews and 13 focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 99 participants. Qualitative content analysis was applied, with elements of both inductive and deductive approaches., Results: We identified two main categories of barriers to optimal breastfeeding-systemic barriers and knowledge deficiencies. The main themes within systemic barriers were lack of skilled breastfeeding support services and low motivation of providers-mainly related to inadequate recognition of their role in breastfeeding counseling and low remuneration. The main knowledge-related barriers were insufficient counseling of mothers, lack of reliable information sources about infant feeding, and misconceptions among both mothers and providers., Conclusion: Optimal breastfeeding is crucial for the best start to an infant's life; however, there were a number of barriers to optimal breastfeeding practices in Armenia. Our findings and recommendations could help policymakers apply effective strategies for improving breastfeeding rates in Armenia. Considering the similar historical backgrounds of the post-Soviet countries, our findings could also be applicable to other Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

Maternal nutrition is an important factor for infant neurodevelopment. However, prior magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on maternal nutrients and infant brain have focused mostly on preterm infants or on few specific nutrients and few specific brain regions. We present a first study in term-born infants, comprehensively correlating 73 maternal nutrients with infant brain morphometry at the regional (61 regions) and voxel (over 300 000 voxel) levels. Both maternal nutrition intake diaries and infant MRI were collected at 1 month of life (0.9 ± 0.5 months) for 92 term-born infants (among them, 54 infants were purely breastfed and 19 were breastfed most of the time). Intake of nutrients was assessed via standardized food frequency questionnaire. No nutrient was significantly correlated with any of the volumes of the 61 autosegmented brain regions. However, increased volumes within subregions of the frontal cortex and corpus callosum at the voxel level were positively correlated with maternal intake of omega-3 fatty acids, retinol (vitamin A) and vitamin B12, both with and without correction for postmenstrual age and sex (P < 0.05, q < 0.05 after false discovery rate correction). Omega-3 fatty acids remained significantly correlated with infant brain volumes after subsetting to the 54 infants who were exclusively breastfed, but retinol and vitamin B12 did not. This provides an impetus for future larger studies to better characterize the effect size of dietary variation and correlation with neurodevelopmental outcomes, which can lead to improved nutritional guidance during pregnancy and lactation., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)

Objectives: to understand breastfeeding meanings and practices produced by women attending prenatal care at a Basic Health Unit in the Brazilian Northeast., Methods: a social research characterized as participant research. A Focal Group was conducted with nine pregnant women who had other children. For the analysis, Discursive Practices and Production of Meanings in Everyday Life perspectives were worked out., Results: prenatal care, mother-baby relationship, family, and pain/suffering categories were produced., Final Considerations: breastfeeding benefits for the child, wife, family and society are numerous, but it is necessary for the woman to have access to a prenatal care and a qualified puerperium so that she feels supported by a perspective of comprehensive care.

Objective: To estimate breast-feeding prevalence in Greece in 2007 and 2017, compare breast-feeding indicators and maternity hospital practices between these years, and investigate breast-feeding determinants., Design: Two national cross-sectional studies (2007 and 2017) using systematic cluster sampling of babies with the same sampling design, data collection and analysis methodology., Setting: Telephone interview with babies' mothers or fathers., Participants: Representative sample of infants who participated in the national neonatal screening programme (n 549 in 2017, n 586 in 2007)., Results: We found that breast-feeding indicators were higher in 2017 compared with 10 years before. In 2017, 94 % of mothers initiated breast-feeding. Breast-feeding rates were 80, 56 and 45 % by the end of the 1st, 4th and 6th completed month of age, respectively. At the same ages, 40, 25 and <1 % of babies, respectively, were exclusively breast-feeding. We also found early introduction of solid foods (after the 4th month of age). Maternity hospital practices favouring breast-feeding were more prevalent in 2017, but still suboptimal (63 % experienced rooming-in; 51 % experienced skin-to-skin contact in the first hour after birth; 19 % received free sample of infant formula on discharge)., Conclusions: We observed an increasing trend in all breast-feeding indicators in the past decade in Greece, but breast-feeding rates - particularly rates of exclusive breast-feeding - remain low. Systematic public health initiatives targeted to health professionals and mothers are needed in order to change the prevailing baby feeding 'culture' and successfully implement the WHO recommendations for exclusive breast-feeding during the first 6 months of life.

Objective: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of exclusive breastfeeding among professional caregivers in a suburban community hospital who typically provide, or influence, the care of parturient women., Design: Cross-sectional quantitative study., Setting: Acute care community hospital in suburban New Jersey with 3,500 births per year., Participants: Obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists, pediatricians, and registered nurses., Interventions/measurements: We designed a survey using two instruments-the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale and the Breastfeeding Attitudes Scale-to explore concepts of breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS (Version 19). Independent sample t tests, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Pearson's chi-square test (×2) were used to assess differences between the groups., Results: When the physician scores were separated out by specialty, statistically significant differences in mean scores were found (p = .002). Pediatricians had lower scores on attitude toward breastfeeding. In contrast, mean scores for perceptions and knowledge of breastfeeding were positive for physicians and nurses, regardless of area of specialization, with no statistically significant differences found., Conclusion: Although pediatricians' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of breastfeeding cannot be deemed the sole cause for our organization's low rates of sustained exclusive breastfeeding in the postpartum period, this study provided an avenue for exploration that we did not immediately consider as we dissected our performance metrics related to exclusive breastfeeding. We encourage teams at other organizations to replicate and build on this work to explore influences surrounding low rates of exclusive breastfeeding., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour after birth is essential for newborns, because it reduces risk of neonatal mortality and hypothermia to a great extent and also helps in preventing the long-term chronic diseases and in increasing energy and immunity to newborn. In order to reach the 'very good state' of timely or early initiation of breastfeeding recommended by WHO, Bangladesh needs to increase the current rate of 51.24 to 100%. An attempt has been made in this study to examine how the early breastfeeding practice changes among male and female children with time controlling the factors associated with this practice., Methods: Data from last four consecutive Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) have been used in the study. The participants were included whose child born within the last 5 years preceding the surveys of 2004, 2007 and 2011, and within the last 3 years preceding the survey of 2014 in the study and the respective selected participants were 5145, 4765, 7099 and 4370. To conduct the trend analysis, the descriptive statistics of selected variables along with prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding have been computed by different years and a multiple logistic regression model has been fitted to the pooled dataset of 2004-2014 considering survey years as time., Results: Rate of early initiation of breastfeeding increased as time progressed and it was faster for female child compared to male child. For example, female children were significantly 10 and 6% less likely to be initiated early than their counterparts in 2004 and 2007, respectively; whereas after 2007 both male and female children were equally treated for breastfeeding practice. It was also found that rate of early initiation significantly increased for one unit increased in survey year and this increasing rate was higher for female child compared to male child. For example, for one unit of increased in survey year, the early initiation of breastfeeding increased by 60% for male child and by 67% for female child. Besides, survey time, gender, education of parents, wanted index child, mode of delivery, antenatal care visits, wealth index, exposure to media and division were found to have potential influence on early initiation of breastfeeding., Conclusion: Demographic and health surveys conducted in Bangladesh since 2011 have shown no evidence of gender discrimination regarding timely initiation of breastfeeding. In order to achieve the target rate of early initiation of breastfeeding recommended by WHO, it requires to take effective intervention regarding maternal and child health education.

Background: Breastfeeding is one of the foundations of child health, development, and survival. Despite extensive evidence that lack of breastfeeding is associated with higher mortality rates and other long-term negative health outcomes, less than half of all babies under the age of 6 months are breastfed worldwide. Breastfeeding counselling is one of the key interventions, to improve breastfeeding rates., Aim: The objective of this guideline is to give recommendations on how to implement breastfeeding counselling to improve breastfeeding practices., Methods: This guideline was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) according to the methods outlined in the WHO handbook for guideline development. This publication is a summary of the most important aspects of this guideline translated into German by members of the WHO Collaborating Centre at the Danube University Krems (Austria)., Results/conclusions: This guideline is based on current evidence and gives recommendations and makes comments on the implementation of breastfeeding counselling, such as frequency, timing, or mode and provider of breastfeeding counselling to improve breastfeeding practices. The scope of the guideline is limited to this intervention., Competing Interests: Gerald Gartlehner und Barbara Nußbaumer-Streit haben in den letzten drei Jahren von der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) Honorare für das Abhalten von GRADE-Workshops erhalten., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)