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Breastfeeding: relationship with habits of suction and socioeconomic aspects of family

Purpose

to delineate the type of milk feeding and to verify the relations between these variables and the sucking habits, relating them with the socioeconomic aspects.

Methods

the parents of 195 children answered a questionnaire. The selected children were aged between 5:0 and 8:11. The collected data referred to type and duration of milk feeding, mothers’ education and socioeconomic aspects, and habits such as the use of pacifiers and finger sucking were also investigated. The data were descriptively and statistically analyzed, by means of the Chi-Square Test with a level of significance of 5%.

Results

there was a predominance of the mixed type of feeding, but the supply of breastfeeding was higher than the artificial only. Besides, most children used the bottle for over two years. There was a relation between type of feeding and pacifier habit and its duration; duration of natural breastfeeding and the habit of using a pacifier and its duration; and artificial feeding and the habit of using a pacifier and its duration. With regard to socioeconomic aspects, there was significance between type of feeding and family income.

Conclusion

it was observed that the mixed type of feeding predominated, however, when this occurs, it remains for a prolonged period. Moreover, the type and duration of milk feeding were fundamental to the acquisition of the habit of using a pacifier, and social classes and lower income can be considered predictors of the inclusion of other forms of artificial feeding.

Breast Feeding; Habits; Income; Educational Status; Child


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