{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T21:25:12Z","timestamp":1780521912011,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":97,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2008,8,20]],"date-time":"2008-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1219190400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/terms"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Proc. Nutr. Soc."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Breast-feeding is the superior infant feeding method from birth, with research consistently demonstrating its numerous short- and long-term health benefits for both mother and infant. As a global recommendation the WHO advises that mothers should exclusively breast-feed for the first 6-months of life, thus delaying the introduction of solids during this time. Historically, Irish breast-feeding initiation rates have remained strikingly low in comparison with international data and there has been little improvement in breast-feeding duration rates. There is wide geographical variation in terms of breast-feeding initiation both internationally and in Ireland. Some of these differences in breast-feeding rates may be associated with differing socio-economic characteristics. A recent cross-sectional prospective study of 561 pregnant women attending a Dublin hospital and followed from the antenatal period to 6 months post partum has found that 47% of the Irish-national mothers initiated breast-feeding, while only 24% were still offering \u2018any\u2019 breast milk to their infants at 6 weeks. Mothers' positive antenatal feeding intention to breast-feed is indicated as one of the most important independent determinants of initiation and \u2018any\u2019 breast-feeding at 6 weeks, suggesting that the antenatal period should be targeted as an effective time to influence and affect mothers' attitudes and beliefs pertaining to breast-feeding. These results suggest that the \u2018cultural\u2019 barrier towards breast-feeding appears to still prevail in Ireland and consequently an environment that enables women to breast-feed is far from being achieved. Undoubtedly, a shift towards a more positive and accepting breast-feeding culture is required if national breast-feeding rates are to improve.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/s0029665108008665","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,8,20]],"date-time":"2008-08-20T12:39:30Z","timestamp":1219235970000},"page":"371-380","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Session 1: Public health nutrition Breast-feeding practices in Ireland"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"67","author":[{"given":"Roslyn C.","family":"Tarrant","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"John M.","family":"Kearney","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2008,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0029665108008665_ref088","unstructured":"88.\u00a0 Central Statistics Office Ireland (2006) Population classified by religion and nationality 2006. http:\/\/www.cso.ie\/statistics\/popnclassbyreligionandnationality2006.htm (accessed June 2008)."},{"key":"S0029665108008665_ref077","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00558.x"},{"key":"S0029665108008665_ref075","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.106.5.e67"},{"key":"S0029665108008665_ref094","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ejcn.1602580"},{"key":"S0029665108008665_ref078","unstructured":"78.\u00a0 Health Promotion Agency (2003) Breastfeeding in Northern Ireland. 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