| Abstract: | Exclusive and extended breast feeding is responsible for much of the fertility limitation and child spacing throughout the world. In many developing countries, where breast feeding is almost universal and of long duration, postpartum amenorrhea protects women from closely spaced subsequent pregnancies. However, at the same time, increased pressures toward modernization, rapid rural-to-urban migration, frequent advertisements of powdered milk substitutes, and the increased employment of women outside of the home are adversely affecting traditional breast feeding practices. In Bolivia, almost all women breast feed their newborn infants, for periods up to 2 years. This paper reports findings which describe and compare patterns of women's differential knowledge of breast feeding and lactational amenorrhea resulting from data collection using a survey instrument and a focus group guide. The findings are part of a larger study on infant feeding and child spacing conducted in periurban communities in Bolivia. Current and historical trends with regard to paradigm and methodology in social science research are reviewed and the survey/focus group research method is described. |
