[Bottle feeding during the first month of life: determinants and effect on breastfeeding technique].

Objective: To assess incidence rate and determinants of bottle feeding during the first month of life, and its potential effects on breastfeeding technique.

Methods: A nested cross-sectional study was conducted in a contemporary cohort in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, between June and November 2003. A total of 211 pairs of healthy mothers and infants were followed up for a month.

Effect of intervention to improve breastfeeding technique on the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems.

This randomized clinical trial compared frequencies of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems during the first 30 days among 74 mothers who received a 30-minute counseling session on breastfeeding technique in the maternity ward, and 137 controls. The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers who had received intervention was similar to controls by 7 days (79.7% vs 82.