Growth of exclusively breastfed infants
Pathak, A.; Shah, N.; Tataria, A.
Indian Pediatrics 30(11): 1291-1300
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 8039853 Document Number: 410972
The weights and lengths of 120 boys and 81 girls were followed from birth to 12 months of age at the Shree Maharani Shantadevi Hospital (SMSH), Baroda, India. The sample was selected by the following criteria: (i) birth weight >=2.5 kg, (ii) no serious defect or serious/chronic illness, (iii) upper and middle socio-economic level, (iv) normal motor-mental development, (v) regular follow-up every month (by appointment within 2 days of birth date) for at least 9 months, (vi) exclusive breast-feeding for >=4 months. Mean and s.d. and percentile values of weight, length and weight-for-length were calculated for boys and girls. Values were compared with those of the National Centre for Health Statistics and of the Davis Area Research on Lactation, Infant Nutrition and Growth study in the USA. The breast-fed infants were 'leaner' than the currently accepted standards established mostly using formula-fed babies. However, the growth pattern of the breast-fed infants cannot be interpreted as 'faltering' since their motor-mental development was normal and they were thriving. The study focuses attention on the need to have new growth charts based on exclusively breast-fed infants.