Breastfeeding in MEDICEL countriesBreastfeeding in MEDICEL countries

Sources of dataSources of data

• UNICEF– Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Egitto,

Lybia, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Serbia, Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey

• OECD– Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Spain

• National Agencies– France, Italy

• Papers, personal communications & regional agencies– Algeria, Greece, Malta, Italy, Slovenia,Tunisia, Turkey

•Exclusive breastfeeding•Only breastmilk, without other liquids with the exception of drugs (i.e. Vitamin drops).

•Predominant breastfeeding•Breastmilk with the use of some non nutritive liquids (i.e. water, infusions, tea).

•Complete breastfeeding•The sum of exclusive and predominant breastfeeding.

•Complementary breastfeeding•Breastmilk with formula milk, nutritive liquids, semi-solid and solid food

•Formula milk feeding•No breastfeeding, only formula milk and/or semisolid and solid food.

•Everbreastfed •refers to those infants who have been put to the breast, even if only once

DefinitionsDefinitions

Multiple sources

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*at 3mo

Italy – Emilia-Romagna Region in the North

Actual weaning habits and guidelines targets:exclusive breastfeeding at 6 month

UNICEF

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* 65%- Demographic and Health survey 2008

UNICEF

OECD – Family database

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* 65%- Demographic and Health survey 2008

Other sources

• Algeria (Oran) - Karim  Bouziane-Nedjadi

– Exclusive BF: 52% at 3mo.; 34% at 6 mo. (1995)• Tunisia - Khaldi F. Nutrition 2001

–  Average length of exclusive BF from 5.2mo. (1973-4) to 1.6mp (1996-7)

• Slovenia - Dušanka Mičetić-Turk

– Prevalence of BF at 6 mo. 50-70%

The Koran prescribes that mothers should breastfeed their babies for two or two and a half years (Ali 1938).

The role of religion in the daily lives of women cannot be overlooked. Ramadan fast is the religious duty for Muslims during which they fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. For instance, some nursing mothers observe the Ramadan fast although they are granted a dispensation allowing them not to fast (Ertem et al. 2001, Shaikh & Ahmed 2006). According to the Koran, if a pregnant or breastfeeding mother fearsfor herself or her child because of fasting, then she is allowednot to fast, but she has to make up the days that she does notfast (Ali 1938).Ali YA (1938) The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Dar al-Kitab, Cairo

Basak Demirtas et al Journal of Clinical Nursing 2011;21:1109–1118

Breastfeeding experiences of Turkish women

Recommendations for a correct weaning

• Start at age 6 month• Introduce semisolid and solid food according

to availability and tradition• Limit protein (especially from animal product)• Limit salt• Limit sugar

UNICEF

UNICEF

UNICEF

UNICEF

UNICEF

 

Issues for discussion and integrated work in MEDICEL partners

We need to integrate the presented information with updated and accurate data on breastfeeding habits at 3 and 6 month, both using period prevalence (a measure of the proportion of infants on a specific BF habit over a specific period of time) or point prevalence (a measure of the proportion of infants on a specific BF habit at a particular time)

We need to have data on modalities of weaning and the existence of recommendations and policies at regional or national level