Growth and feeding practices of Western Australian infants.

Records from 12 metropolitan and six country Child Health Centres in Western Australia confirm a recent trend back to breast feeding; more than half the mothers were still breast feeding at three months. This trend was most marked and sustained in the highest socioeconomic group. Weight gains in infancy showed negative correlation with duration of breast feeding. By 12 months of age, infants from families in the lowest socioeconomic group, who breast-fed least, were significantly heavier than those from the highest. This fits our data which show an association between social class and breast feeding, and breast feeding and weight gain.