What is it about?
Participants were 1679 women from 42 randomly selected hospitals in Poland. The data were obtained from surveys, including a paper and pencil interview that was conducted after mothers delivered in the hospital and before discharge. Computer aided telephone interviews were administered at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months.
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Why is it important?
There was a high rate of initiating breastfeeding after birth (97%), a rapid abandonment of exclusive breastfeeding (43.5% at 2 months, 28.9% at 4 months and 4% at 6 months) and an onset of formula feeding during the first days of life.
Perspectives
Polish breastfeeding practices do not comply with the National Maternal and Neonatal Care Programme/WHO recommendations;this is especially true for the rates of exclusive breastfeeding through first 6 months of life. Only 25% of Polish hospitals implement BFHI standards (www.laktacja.pl). There is a lack of obligatory lactation training for Polish medical staff, both doctors and midwives. Therefore, breastfeeding counselling should be reimbursed by the Polish National Health Service. Currently, education for pregnant and breastfeeding women is provided by midwives (Polish perinatal care standards, antenatal schools), and should help improve the current rates.
Barbara Królak-Olejnik
Uniwersytet Medyczny im Piastow Slaskich we Wroclawiu
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Promotion of breastfeeding in Poland: the current situation, Journal of International Medical Research, October 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0300060517720318.
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