Psychospołeczne przyczyny zaniku naturalnego karmienia niemowląt

One of the main changes in the behaviour of human race that has been observed in 20th century, which change carries on with it unknown threats for the physical and psychical health of young generations, is disappearance of breast feeding. Civilisation has introduced a disturbance in the cycle of genetically programmed hormonal changes after delivery which changes led to the forming and secretion of milk. At present there occurs not uncommonly the so-called "syndrome of absent milk supply" and also "syndrome of inadequate milk supply". The causes why breastfeeding is disappearing on such a large scale are manifold. In the paper some of them have been discussed. Among the factors which bear a social and cultural character the following have been mentioned": urbanization changes, people migration, education and mothers' work, value of child and woman's position as a mother in a given society, breaking up of a multigenerational family, the model of a small family, the influence of mass media, the attitude of medical staff, the preferred patterns of feeding and especially feeding according to a rigidly imposed schedule (its conditionings and consequences) instead of demand feeding, the system of delivery and particularly separation of a newborn from its mother instead of rooming-in. Among the factors which have psychological nature the following have been pinpointed: mother's attitude towards breast feeding before and during pregnancy, mother's physical feeling at feeding, mother's personal attitude towards her baby called mother's interest, mother's personality traits, the current mood and feelings, social support as well as appearance and behaviour of the child.