Relationship between work and breastfeeding in a group of women without social security

Introduction
The role of working in relation with prevalence of breastfeeding (BF) had been controversial but the assessment of informal work in relation with this problem is rare. With the aim of describing for the first time, prevalence of BF according informal work in a group of women attending to a university hospital in Chihuahua, Chih., México, we performed this project.

Methods
Cohort study in 238 mother-infant pairs. Women were recruited at hospital, and followed by telephone call at first, third and sixth month after delivery. A structured questionnaire was used. Factors studied were types of breastfeeding and selected socio-demographic and work-related characteristics. We presented results at first month.

Results
Age mean was 22 (SD=5.6) years, minimal 13 and maxim 42. In the 41% percent of women it was her first childbirth. Prevalence of exclusive and mixed BF at one month was 15 % and 68 % respectively. Early BF (less than three hours after delivery) had a prevalence of 64%. There was no difference between women who worked before delivery (41%) and the others. Only 13% of women came back to her work at this time. We realized that there is a cultural practice which consists in offering water and tea to new born and consider (mothers and nurses) that is exclusive BF.

Discussion
It is the first time that BF is studied in relation with informal work. We didn´t find relationship between work and BF at one month. It is necessary to keep following cohort, until the sixth month in order to have conclusions. In Mexico federal law recommends at least 45 days after child birth to return work and maybe this is a time respected in informal work also.