Résumé :
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[BDSP. Notice produite par INIST CENYIR0x. Diffusion soumise à autorisation]. Researchers have normally considered weaning to be a non-reversible event. To determine the validity of this assumption, we interviewed 36 mothers of toddlers who were living in a poor shanty town of Lima, Peru. Data from 32 women were complete and used in this analysis. Mothers described their beliefs, practices, and decisions about breastfeeding, weaning, and relactation (the reintroduction of breastfeeding after weaning). We recorded attempted weaning events if the mother reported (I) purposefully not breastfeeding with the intention to wean, or (2) carrying out an action that was believed to cause the child to stop breastfeeding. Using a constant comparative approach, references to child-feeding decisions were coded, categorized, and analyzed. All mothers breastfed for at least 12 months ; the median duration of breastfeeding was 25 months. There were several different patterns of child-feeding. Thirteen women never attempted to wean their children or had weaned on the first attempt. The majority (n=19) of women, however, attempted to wean their children some as early as 3 months of age - but relactated between less than I day and 3 months later. Factors that influenced feeding decisions were primarily related to maternal and child health, and maternal time commitments. Children were weaned when there was a perceived problem of maternal health or time commitments and child health was not at risk of deterioration. (...)
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