Results of breastfeeding promotion in breastfeeding support groups in Međimurje, Croatia

In Međimurje breastfeeding support groups (BSG) have been established since 1998, according to an original model in which the visiting nurse and mother-group leader have equally important roles. OBJECTIVE: To analyse breastfeeding prevalence among BSG members in Međimurje during 2000-2002, with WHO/UNICEF breastfeeding definitions. METHODS: Mothers who gave birth at the County Hospital Čakovec in 2000 and voluntarily joined the BSG were followed prospectively, non-randomly. In 34 groups 331 mother-infant dyads were followed until they left the group. RESULTS: Mothers visit the group 5 times on an average: first visit was at 2.3 months of the infant’s age, and the last is at 7.7 months. All infants were breastfed at the age of 1 months, at the age of 3 months 96.8% were breastfed, and at 6 months 83.2% of them. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 96.1% at infant age 1 months, 56.5% at 3 months, 31.6% at 4 months and 1% at 6 months. On an average, mothers with _ 3 group meetings exclusively breastfed until infant age 2.1 months, whereas mothers with _ 4 group meetings exclusively breastfed until 3.1 months. The duration of any breastfeeding is significantly longer in mothers with _ 4 group meetings (p < 0,0001). CONCLUSIONS: Among mothers-BSG members a high prevalence of breastfeeding was found. The number of group meetings is proportional to the breastfeeding duration.