A Survey on Lactation and Weaning Practice of Infants and Their Mothers' Attitude on Infant Nutrition in Kangwon Province

강원 일부 지역 영유아의 수유 및 이유실태와 영아 영양에 대한 어머니들의 태도

  • 이정실 (동우대학 호텔조리과) ;
  • 최경순 (삼육대학교 식품영양학과)
  • Published : 2005.08.01

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the lactation and weaning practice of infants and their mothers' attitude on infant nutrition. We interviewed 152 mothers in three pediatric clinics located in Sokcho city. From this survey, $76.3\%$ of infants was fed colostrum milk during first one week of life. During the first 4 months, $31.6\%$ of infants was fed breast-milk, while $42.8\%$ of them was fed bottled-milk. More housewives fed their babies with breast milk than the working mothers. Infants ate first weaning food at 5.73$\pm$1.86 months of life. Highly educated mothers showed positive response to the questionnaire : Breast-feeding is good for baby but it requires mother's sacrifice, and Breast-feeding may ruin the good shape of mothers. Highly income mothers responded negatively to the statement : Breast-feeding is not a must for infants since bottled-milk is a good substitution for breast-milk. Comparing with the mothers whose income was about 1 -2 million won per month, with ones who got paid less than 1 million won per month the former responded positively to : Breast-feeding is good for baby but it requires mother's sacrifice. Mothers recognized the importance of weaning in the following order : Supply of nutrition, Enforcement of digestion and absorption capability, Variety of taste, Disease prevention, Development of self-reliance, and Development of baby tooth. To improve the infants' nutritional status, education program on infant nutrition should be organized and run for the pregnant and lactating women in obstetrician and pediatric clinics and through the mass media as well.

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