Abstract
The usefulness of breast-feeding has been reappreciated, and its necessity is emphatically voiced. But nevertheless many mothers still adhere to bottle feeding. The present survey was conducted to find out, in the actual state surrounding the pregnancy and delivery and attitude toward the nursing, the factors which impede breast-feeding. The chief findings were as follows :
1) Breast-feeding is gradually decreasing with advance in month of age, while the bottle-feeding is conversely increasing.
2) Until 7 days after delivery, almost all the mother (94.6%) practiced breast-feeding regardless of the place of delivery and method of nutrition.
3) Infants fed on processed milk before given colostrum accounted for more than a half (68.9%). When probable or unspecified cases are added, the percentage becomes 80.9%. Those not given processed milk before colostrum constitute only 19.1%.
4) For 74.4% of mothers who changed breast-feeding to bottle-feeding, the reason of the change was poor secretion of their own milk.
5) Those who had firmly decided breast-feeding during pregnancy, practiced it at a high per cent. But those who had considered to try it if possible, or who had not any special consideration about it, performed it at a low rate.
6) Those attending the mothers' class accounted for only 1/3 of the surveyed. Those not attending it because of no knowledge of its opening were in most cases mothers remaining at home. When the reason for no attendance was for work, they were mostly workers away from their homes.
It seemed necessary for the promotion of breast-feeding to deepen the understanding and knowledge about this feeding method on the occasion of mothers' education during or before pregnancy. However, the rate of attendance to such education is not always satisfactory. It is considered important that not only health centers but also medical institutions and all the members of the community should cooperate for the prevalence of breast-feeding.
