Do parents follow breastfeeding and weaning recommendations given by pediatric nurses? A study with emphasis on introduction of cow's milk protein in allergy risk families.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to retrospectively examine weaning practices during the first year of life in a representative sample of Swedish children and how parents with a history of atopy introduced milk protein in their infant's diet.

Methods: Data were derived from 467 infants visiting Child Health Centers in three different counties in Sweden for a health check up at 12 months of age.

Results: The children were breastfed for an average of 7 months (range, 0.2-15 months), and 18% were still breastfed at the age of 12 months. Few infants had received solid food before the age of 4 months (6%) or after the age of 6 months (12%). Cow's milk protein was introduced in disagreement with the current recommendation for children at risk of developing atopy.

Conclusion: Breastfeeding and weaning recommendations seem to be followed by most families. The creation of routines for the distribution of information concerning weaning foods should be encouraged in order to reach families with special needs; otherwise, implementation of current recommendations and preventive strategies will be less useful.