Kenneth D. Rosenberg ^1*, Carissa A. Eastham ¹, Lauren Kasehagen ¹, Alfredo P. Sandoval ¹

¹ Oregon Public Health Division

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ken.d.rosenberg{at}state.or.us.

	Abstract

Objectives. Commercial hospital discharge packs are commonly given to new mothers at the time of newborn hospital discharge. We evaluated the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and the receipt of commercial hospital discharge packs in a population-based sample of Oregon women who initiated breastfeeding before newborn hospital discharge.

Methods. We analyzed data from the 2000 and 2001 Oregon Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a population-based survey of postpartum women (n=3895; unweighted response rate=71.6%).

Results. Among women who had initiated breastfeeding, 66.8% reported having received commercial hospital discharge packs. We found that women who received these packs were more likely to exclusively breastfeed for fewer than 10 weeks than were women who had not received the packs (multivariate adjusted odds ratio=1.39; 95% confidence interval=1.05, 1.84).

Conclusions. Commercial hospital discharge packs are one of several factors that influence breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. The distribution of these packs to new mothers at hospitals is part of a longstanding marketing campaign by infant formula manufacturers and implies hospital and staff endorsement of infant formula. Commercial hospital discharge pack distribution should be reconsidered in light of its negative impact on exclusive breastfeeding.

Key Words: Epidemiology, Health Policy, Pregnancy, Nutrition/Food, Public Health Practice, Surveillance

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Bartick, A. Stuebe, K. R. Shealy, M. Walker, and L. M. Grummer-Strawn Closing the Quality Gap: Promoting Evidence-Based Breastfeeding Care in the Hospital Pediatrics, October 1, 2009; 124(4): e793 - e802. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Declercq, M. H. Labbok, C. Sakala, and M. O'Hara Hospital Practices and Women's Likelihood of Fulfilling Their Intention to Exclusively Breastfeed Am J Public Health, May 1, 2009; 99(5): 929 - 935. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. A. Dabritz, B. G. Hinton, and J. Babb Evaluation of Lactation Support in the Workplace or School Environment on 6-Month Breastfeeding Outcomes in Yolo County, California J Hum Lact, May 1, 2009; 25(2): 182 - 193. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Merewood, R. Fonrose, M. Singleton, X. Grossman, T. Navidi, J. T. Cook, and T. Pomales From Maine to Mississippi: Hospital Distribution of Formula Sample Packs Along the Eastern Seaboard Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, September 1, 2008; 162(9): 823 - 827. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]