Weaning practices and breast-feeding duration in Northern Thailand

Abstract

Current infant feeding guidelines recommend exclusive breast-feeding until the infant is about 4 months old to reduce the risks of early termination of breast-feeding, undernutrition and infection. In many societies, however, supplementary foods are given well before 4 months of age. The present paper describes weaning practices, factors associated with early supplementation and the effects of supplementation on duration of breast-feeding in a random sample of sixty northern Thai breast-fed infants studied prospectively from birth to 2 years of age. Composition of supplementary foods, energy and protein intake from supplements and changes in the supplementary diet with increasing infant age are also described. Rice-based foods were given from soon after birth; 81 O h of the sample had received supplements by 6 weeks of age. Early supplementary feeding was significantly associated with rural residence, large household size, maternal employment in agriculture and maternal age. Girls and infants with lower birth weights tended to be supplemented earlier. Despite early feeding of supplements, breastfeeding was prolonged, with median duration of 12 months. Early introduction of supplements and quantity of supplements consumed in the first 3 months were not associated with duration of breastfeeding. However, mothers who gave infant formula as the first supplementary food stopped breastfeeding slightly earlier, as did younger mothers living in households with more children. Breast-feeding : Supplementary feeding : Weaning

Poor dietary quality of complementary foods is associated with multiple micronutrient deficiencies during early childhood in Mongolia

“…introduction of complementary foods, as noted here and by others (5,13,36,37) . The most recent WHO (38) recommendation is for exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months of age.…”

Systematic review concerning the age of introduction of complementary foods to the healthy full-term infant

“…For example, socio-economic in¯uences on infant feeding practices are well known (Millard & Graham, 1985;Whitehead et al, 1986;Hill, 1991;Tessema & Hailu, 1997) and it is therefore not possible to make meaningful comparisons between cross-cultural studies unless socio-economic factors are identi®ed and adjusted for in subsequent analyses (Jackson et al, 1992;Caul®eld et al, 1996).…”

Constructing Compatibility: Managing Breast-Feeding and Weaning from the Mother’s Perspective

“…• the infant's age when these foods and fluids are being introduced (Al-Mazrou et al, 1994;Chandrasekhar eta!., 1990;Dettwyler, 1987;Jackson et al, 1992;Lipski et a!., 1994;Morgan & Stordy, 1995;Retalleck et al, 1994;Singh et al, 1992).…”

“…However, this research has primarily focused on practices within developing countries due to public health issues related to infant morbidity and mortality (AI-Mazrou, Aziz & Khalil, 1994;Chandrasekhar, Wasanthaviani & Thomas, 1990;Dettwyler, 1987;Jackson et al, 1992;Khan, 1990;Lindenberg, Artola & Estrada, 1990;Lipski et al, 1994;Rao & Rajpathak, 1992;Singh, Kumar & Rana, 1992;Uwaegbute, 1991;Vijayasree & Satya Vani, 1992).…”

“…• the types of foods and fluids used to supplement breastfeeding (Greiner, 1995;Jackson et al, 1992;Morgan & Stordy, 1995;Retalleck, Simmer, Makrides & Gibson, 1994) and;…”