Breastfeeding Medicine
We conduct research on various aspects of breastfeeding, guided by the needs and priorities of the community, both local and international, at a given moment.
Breastfeeding Medicine
Medicina dojenja
Head of research group
Assist. Prof Irena Zakarija-Grković
Research
We conduct research on various aspects of breastfeeding, guided by the needs and priorities of the community, both local and international, at a given time. Our areas of research include: breastfeeding predictors, breastfeeding education, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, interventions for increasing breastfeeding rates, reasons for formula supplementation, management of mastitis and breast engorgement, attitudes of health
professionals and students toward breastfeeding.
We would like to explore in greater depth, using qualitative methods, reasons for in-hospital supplementation of breastfed babies with formula. This would then lead to an interventional study looking at methods for decreasing in-hospital supplementation. We would like to investigate the effect of the pandemic on breastfeeding families. We would like to evaluate the implementation of the revised Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative in our region, as well as the implementation of the new Baby-friendly University Initiative.
Interests and topics: Breastfeeding, formula supplementation, Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, Baby-friendly University Initiative, antenatal breastfeeding courses, exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding education, lactational mastitis, lactational engorgement, health professional and student attitudes and knowledge toward breastfeeding, breastfeeding in a pandemic.
professionals and students toward breastfeeding.
We would like to explore in greater depth, using qualitative methods, reasons for in-hospital supplementation of breastfed babies with formula. This would then lead to an interventional study looking at methods for decreasing in-hospital supplementation. We would like to investigate the effect of the pandemic on breastfeeding families. We would like to evaluate the implementation of the revised Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative in our region, as well as the implementation of the new Baby-friendly University Initiative.
Interests and topics: Breastfeeding, formula supplementation, Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, Baby-friendly University Initiative, antenatal breastfeeding courses, exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding education, lactational mastitis, lactational engorgement, health professional and student attitudes and knowledge toward breastfeeding, breastfeeding in a pandemic.
Group members
Assist. Prof Irena Zakarija-Grković, MD, FRACGP, IBCLC, PhD, lead researcher [CV]
Prof. Pat Hoddinott, associate, MD, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Lisa Amir, MBBS, MMed, PhD, IBCLC, FABM, associate
Assoc. prof. Anita Pavičić Bošnjak, MD, PhD, IBCLC, associate
Tea Burmaz, MD, associate
Anamarija Ćuže, MD, associate
Marija Boban, MD, associate
Mario Malicki, MD, PhD, associate
Sunčana Janković, MD, associate
Željka Topić, MD, associate
Toni Božinović, MD, associate
Toni Lozančić, MD, associate
Olga Šegvić, MD, associate
Ana Vučković, MD, associate
Marija ćaran, MD, associate
Ana Barić, MD, associate
Ivan Buljan, M. Sc., associate
Drita Puharić, MSc, associate
Ana Vidović Roguljić, MSc, associate
Linda Smith, MSc, associate
Željana Tomić, MSc, associate
Gabrijela Tenžera, MSc, associate
Marina Katušin, midwifery student
Ivana Miočić, MD, associate
Jelena Miljak, RN, associate
Renata Vettorazzi, IBCLC, associate
Linda J. Smith, associate
Prof. Wendy Brodribb, associate
Prof. Helen Ball, associate
Fiona Stewart, associate
Photo gallery
Future directions
Prof. Pat Hoddinott, associate, MD, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Lisa Amir, MBBS, MMed, PhD, IBCLC, FABM, associate
Assoc. prof. Anita Pavičić Bošnjak, MD, PhD, IBCLC, associate
Tea Burmaz, MD, associate
Anamarija Ćuže, MD, associate
Marija Boban, MD, associate
Mario Malicki, MD, PhD, associate
Sunčana Janković, MD, associate
Željka Topić, MD, associate
Toni Božinović, MD, associate
Toni Lozančić, MD, associate
Olga Šegvić, MD, associate
Ana Vučković, MD, associate
Marija ćaran, MD, associate
Ana Barić, MD, associate
Ivan Buljan, M. Sc., associate
Drita Puharić, MSc, associate
Ana Vidović Roguljić, MSc, associate
Linda Smith, MSc, associate
Željana Tomić, MSc, associate
Gabrijela Tenžera, MSc, associate
Marina Katušin, midwifery student
Ivana Miočić, MD, associate
Jelena Miljak, RN, associate
Renata Vettorazzi, IBCLC, associate
Linda J. Smith, associate
Prof. Wendy Brodribb, associate
Prof. Helen Ball, associate
Fiona Stewart, associate
Photo gallery
Future directions
We would like to explore in greater depth, using qualitative methods, reasons for in-hospital supplementation of breastfed babies with formula. This would then lead to an interventional study looking at methods for decreasing in-hospital supplementation. We also plan to investigate why attendance to free breastfeeding support groups is so low in our region and why only 16% of future parents attend antenatal courses. The City of Split is planning to put together a Program for the Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and ideally, we would like to do a before/after study of breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding.
Selected publications and doctoral publications
Interests and topics: Breastfeeding, supplementation, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, breastfeeding community inititative, breastfeeding support groups, antenatal breastfeeding courses, exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding education, mastitis.
Print page