Determinants of infant feeding patterns in Northern Tasmania ($5,038)
The purpose of this study, based at the Queen Victoria Maternity Unit at the Launceston General Hospital, is to collect and review data (as a requirement for accreditation) which reflects the percentage of women who leave the maternity unit breastfeeding and the percentage who are artificially feeding. The findings will enable midwives to channel energies into giving the most appropriate care to suit the needs of all women when choosing the feeding method best suited to them, their babies and their family situation.
The study provides insight for midwives and doctors who care for women ante and post natally, and will allow for more appropriate educational advice and breast feeding assistance, based on the evidence of the true desire of women rather than what they perceive to be ‘expected of them’ during their stay in the hospital.
Tasmania's Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust was established in 1991.