The length of breast-feeding period in the town of Solin, from 1988 to 1998

The aim of the work is to establish the length of the breast-feeding period in the town of Solin, from January 1988 to May 1998, and to examine certain factors that can affect the length of this period, such as the number of births and the level of education of the mothers. The questionnaire is prospective, six hundred and thirty-two (632) mothers who gave birth over the ten year period were asked to answer the questionnaire. The percentage of breast-fed babies in the period of ten years in as follows: 58,4% (88-90 god.), 61,3% (91-92 god.,), 67,3% (93-95 god.,), 69,2% (96-98 god.); babies breast-fed for three months: 31,2% - 32,7% - 44,0% - 49,3%; babies breast-fed for six months 14,3% - 15,2% - 30,6% - 35,2%; babies breast-fed for nine months 3,8% - 4,8% - 22,6% - 23,6%; babies breast-fed for twelve months 1,2% - 3,1% - 17,3% - 19,2%. The sharpest percentage fall of breast-fed babies is in the first month of life: 42% - 39% - 33% - 31%, then, by the third month the fall is as follows: 27% - 26% - 23% - 20%, and then, the later the period, the lower the percentage. Statistical analysis of the difference in the length of breast-feeding over the 10 year period shows a statistically significant difference p < 0,001. This means that our activity to support breast-feeding should be focused on the pre-natal age and the first three months of life. Mothers with secondary or primary education mainly breast-feed in the longest period (p < 0,005). The number of births does not affect the length of breast-feeding period (p > 0,01).