Growth Performance of Healthy Exclusively Breast fed and Non-Exclusively Breast-fed Infants in the First Six Months of Life: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Summary: Longitudinal growth, based on weight for age, length for age and head circumference for age in 176 healthy exclusively breast-fed, full term, appropriate for gestational age infants from birth to six months (Group I) was compared with that of an equal number of infants who received small amounts of water in addition to breast milk (Goup II). There were no significant differences in the growth curves of the two groups of infants. Mean weights from the age of one month to six months were consistently greater than those of the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards in both groups, although the difference was greater between the ages of one and four months. Mean weights expressed as percentages of the 50th percentile declined from 113 percent of the NCHS value for the one month old male infants to 101 percent for the six-month old infants in Group I. Similarly, the percentage declined from 115 percent to 101 percent for males in Group II. The females in both groups showed a similar pattern of growth. Mean values for total gain in weight, length and head circumference in six months did not differ significantly between the two groups of infants. It is concluded that offering token amounts of water to infants does not invalidate the benefits of the Baby Friendly Initiatives as far as normal growth is concerned.