The Role of Breastfeeding in Birth Spacing: The Socio-demographic and Economic Determinants

Abstract

Human breast milk is an ideal food for health and nutrition of infants and children. It plays a pivotal role in determining growth and development of infants and children. Breastfeeding itself is a biological process which builds up emotional bondage between the mother and her child. It is the cheapest way of feeding the child and protecting her from infections. It has been considered as synonymous with the nourishment and well-being of infants since it's born. Breastfeeding is also an important determinant of birth spacing which serves as a way to check the rate of population growth especially in a densely populated country (Ahmed, 1997; Miller et al., 1992). Since the beginning of human history breastfeeding has come to play a key role in regulating fertility as contraceptive. Demographers have shown that the interval between successive births is a principal determinant of marital fertility and in populations without access to modem forms of contraception this birth interval was largely determined by the duration of breastfeeding. In traditional societies, extended breastfeeding serves as a natural contraceptive and helps families space their children by delaying ovulation. It is known that a decline in breastfeeding leads to shorter birth intervals and more pregnancies. Breastfeeding increases the length of post-partum amenorrhea which ultimately resulting in a low birth rate (Bongaarts and Potter, 1983; Bongaarts, 1979).