Journal
ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
Volume 13, Issue 6, Pages 431-435Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/S1047-2797(02)00463-5
Keywords
breast feeding; infant; child care
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Funding
- NICHD NIH HHS [HD30866] Funding Source: Medline
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PURPOSE: To describe the association between duration of breastfeeding and an illness requiring a visit to a health care provider within the past 30 days (IRHP) among infants less than or equal to 6 months. METHODS: Participants were breastfeeding women who delivered at a birthing center in suburban Detroit, Michigan and women employed by a company in Omaha, Nebraska. Subjects were interviewed by telephone at 3,6,9, and 12 weeks postpartum and by mailed questionnaire at 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: Of the 674 breastfeeding women, 233 (34.5%) reported an IRHP. An IRHP was more likely among infants attending daycare (RR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.30, 1.96). There was an interaction between duration of breastfeeding, the number of children in the household, and IRHP (p < 0.0001). For firstborn children, each additional week of breastfeeding decreased the likelihood of an IRHP by 4%. An increased duration of breastfeeding was not significantly protective against an IRHP for infants living with additional children in the household. CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding offers protection against an IRHP among firstborn children. Having additional children in the household or attending daycare outside of the home may diminish these benefits. Ann Epidemiol 2003;13:431-435. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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