BREASTFEEDING FOR CHILD'S SECOND YEAR: MOTHER'S EXPERIENCE

Cilj ovog istraživanja je istražiti iskustva majki koje doje duže od godinu dana. . Rad se temelji na prospektivnoj deskriptivnoj studiji u kojoj se pratila kohorta od 342 rodilje Klinike za ženske bolesti i porode, Kliničkog bolničkog centra Split, kroz dvogodišnje razdoblje, od 2011. do 2013. godine. Korišten je UNICEF-ov upitnik za majke u sklopu alata za praćenje “Rodilišta prijatelji djece”itelefonski upitnik te su majke nazvane 3, 6, 12 i 24 mjeseci nakon rođenja djeteta. 56 ispitanica dojilo je 12 mjeseci, odnosno 16, 4% od ukupnog uzorka, dok je samo 4,4% žena nastavilo dojiti do druge godine djetetova života. Od ispitanica koje nisu više dojile s 24 mjeseci, najveći broj njih (56%) je prestalo dojiti u razdoblju kada je dijete imalo 12 do 15 mjeseci te su dijete odvikle od dojke postepeno. Najveći broj žena (60%) koje je nastavilo dojiti do druge godine su to činile “jer je dijete to tražilo”.Od ukupnog broja ispitanica koje su nastavile dojiti nakon 12 mjeseci djetetova života (n=50), 30% nije bilo upoznato s preporukama SZO-a o dojenju do druge godine djetetova života; one koje jesu su to najčešće saznale preko interneta, a najrjeđe od pedijatra. Većina ispitanica (88 %) dojila je na javnim mjestima, a dojmovi su pritom ravnomjerno podijeljeni – majke su se osjećale i ugodno i neugodno u gotovo istoj mjeri. Što se tiče reakcije okoline, partneri dojilja reagirali su najpozitivnije na dojenje duže od godinu dana, dok su prijatelji i kolege reagirali najnegativnije. 64% ispitanica izjavilo je da bi češće izlazili izvan kuće kada bi postojala mjesta u gradu gdje je dojenje dobrodošlo. Od ukupnog broj ispitanica koje su dojile dvije godine, 3 su se vratile na posao prije nego što je dijete navršilo godinu dana te su sve 3 bile upoznate s pravom na ˝stanku za dojenje˝, no, niti jedna nije iskoristila to pravo. Istraživanje je pokazalo da u Hrvatskoj još uvijek nije zaživio trend dojenja do druge godine života djeteta te da žene nisu u cijelosti upoznate s preporukama SZO-a. Iako su majke upoznate sa svojim radničkim pravima, za sada ih ne rabe te su suočene s brojnim preprekama u svom nastojanju da doje djecu.The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of mothers who breastfeed their children for more than one year. The paper is based on a prospective, descriptive study in which a cohort of 342 women,who gave birth at the Deparment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Split, was followed for a two-year period, from 2011 to 2013. The UNICEF survey for monitoring Baby-Friendly hospitals was used, as well as a telephone survey. Participants were followed-up 3, and 6, 12 and 24 months after the birth of their baby. Of a total of 342 mothers included in the study, 56 breastfed for 12 months (16.4%), whereas only 4.4% were still breastfeeding at 24 months. Of the respondents who were no longer breastfeeding at 24 months, most of them (56%) had stopped breast-feedingwhen the child was 12 to 15 months old, and had done so gradually. Of the women who breastfed till 24 months, the majority (60%) did so ˝because the baby asked for the breast˝. Of the total number of respondents, 30%were not familiar with WHO recommendations on breastfeeding; those who were, found out most often from the internet and least often from their paediatrician.. The majority (88%) of women breastfeed in public, and impressions were evenly divided between feeling comfortable or uncomfortable.As for the reaction of the mother’s environment toward her breastfeeding for more than a year, partners of nursing mothersreacted most positively, whereas friends and colleagues reacted least positively. 64% of participants claimed that they would go out of the house more often with their babies if there were designated places in the city for breastfeeding. Of the mothers who breastfed two years, only 3 returned to work before their infant turned one, and all three were aware of their right to a paid ‘breastfeeding break’ but none utilised this right. Our study has shown that breastfeeding for more than one year is uncommon in Croatia and a significant proportion of women are not familiar with WHO’s breastfeeding recommendations. Although women are informed of their right to a paid breastfeeding break, it seems that they are reluctant to use it and face many challenges to fulfilling their breastfeeding goals