S. K. Jain
This Occasional Paper is intended to make the results of current research available to other interested parties. The aim is to present accounts of developments and research work or analysis of an experimental nature as to encourage discussion and comment.
Views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Where quoted or used, they should be attributed to the author.
INTRODUCTION
Breastfeeding is important in population studies because of its contribution to a decline in fertility and improvement in infant and childhood mortality. Fertility reduction takes place through the contraceptive effect of the extended periods of breastfeeding, which delays ovulation and decreases the probability of conceiving. This lengthens the interval between successive births which, in societies where there is little or no other means of contraception practised, suppresses
the total fertility of women (Guz and Hobcraft 1991). The nutritional advantage of breastfeeding contributes positively to the childs development (Huffman and Lamphere 1984).
In developed countries, it is the childs development aspect of breastfeeding which has found its way into health policies. Targets are set which aim for nearly universal initiation of breastfeeding and its continuation at higher levels at three, six or nine months of infants age.
In Australia, there is a high prevalence of breastfeeding immediately following the birth of the child, but considerable variation in the duration of breastfeeding by specific characteristics of mothers. The health goals and targets for Australia propose a further rise in the proportion of mothers who initiate breastfeeding and to continue breastfeeding for longer duration's than is currently practised (Nutbeam et al. 1993). A study into breast-weaning differentials can assist in understanding and targeting women who are breastfeeding for shorter durations.
King and Ashworth (1991) contrast between traditional and recent practices with regard to supplementary food given to breastfed children and attribute the change to greater participation in the workforce by mothers, health sector activities (distribution of processed milk from clinics), commercial availability of processed milks and cereals, urbanisation and modernisation, poverty and poor maternal nutrition (causing lactation failure), as well as perceived insufficiency of breast
milk.
In the context of the developed world, Baghurst (1988) mentions attitudinal, medical and societal determinants of infant-feeding practices and lists both positive and negative factors that may influence breastfeeding behaviour. Positive factors include the women's movement and women's mutual support groups such as the Nursing Mothers Association of Australia, the general move towards a natural food supply, increased understanding of the advantages of breastfeeding, changing patterns of women's employment and worksite-based health-promotion programs. Negative factors include lack of confidence
in breastfeeding, work commitments, a mothers perception that the available milk is insufficient for the child, embarrassment or inconvenience of breastfeeding, or medical reasons such as sore nipples or the mother or child being sick.
Based on surveys conducted in Western Australia and Tasmania, Hitchcock and Coy (1989) reported: The prevalence of breast-feeding among these [sampled] mothers was influenced significantly by the social groups of the mother, with a higher prevalence and a longer duration of breast-feeding among mothers from higher social groups.
Trussell et al. (1992) citing the work of Huffman (1984) and Lamphere indicated that place of residence (urban/rural), education and income were the three most important factors associated with differentials in breastfeeding. They noted that in many Westernized countries, educated women are more likely to breastfeed and for longest; in many developing countries, the education is negatively associated with both initiation and length of breastfeeding, and also that the use of the modern contraceptives is consistently associated with a smaller likelihood of initiating breastfeeding and with shorter durations.
This paper documents the breastfeeding behaviour in Australia based on the 198990 National Health Survey (NHS). It examines the various demographic, social, economic and health characteristics of mothers and isolates those that are associated with weaning practices. Similar data from the 1995 NHS will provide a time-trend dimension to the present
analysis.
