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Breast-feeding in Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2001

MJ Lozano de la Torre ,
J Martín-Calama  and
MT Hernandez-Aguilar
MJ Lozano de la Torre*
Affiliation:
Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Children's Department, Cantabria University, E-39008 Santander, Spain
J Martín-Calama
Affiliation:
Obispo Polanco Hospital, Children's Department, Teruel, Spain
MT Hernandez-Aguilar
Affiliation:
Fuente de San Luís, Public Health, Primary Care Centre, Valencia, Spain
*
*Corresponding author: Email lozanomj@unican.es
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Abstract

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Human milk is the best way to nurture the human infant. By breast-feeding their babies, mothers provide them with the best opportunities to wholly develop their potential, while protecting the infants and themselves from a whole range of diseases in the near future and in the years to come.

Even though these benefits are widely known and there is ample scientific evidence on the topic, it seems from published data that Spanish women are not breast-feeding their babies as much and for as long as they should. Less than 90% start breast-feeding, at 1 month there is already an attrition of 30%, at 3 months more than half of the infants are taking artificial milk and by 6 months only 10% continue to breast-feed their infants.

Low birth weight, Caesarean section and low study level are among the more significant factors that negatively affect breast-feeding.

There is still work to do to improve this situation. Promotion of breast-feeding among the general population, mothers and health professionals is needed.

Keywords

Breast-feeding prevalenceBenefitsPromotion efforts
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 4 , Issue 6a , December 2001 , pp. 1347 - 1351
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2001

Footnotes

†

The authors are members of the Spanish Committee on Human Lactation, Spanish Paediatric Association.

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