| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
|
| Year : 1999 | Volume
: 2
| Issue : 1 | Page : 45-48 |
|
|
The pattern of weight gain in exclusively breast fed infants during the first six months of life in Benin city, Nigeria
AI Omoigberale, MO Ibadin
Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PM.B. 1111, Benin City, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
A I Omoigberale
Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PM.B. 1111, Benin City
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
|
|
|
Two thousand four hundred out of three thousand, two hundred and twenty babies delivered at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, between 1995 and 1997, were recruited into the study. Of these,
1,800 (75%) were eventually analysed; of which 1,020 (56.7%) were exclusively breast fed. Seven hundred and
eighty (43.3%0 babies were not exclusively breast fed of which four hundred (51.3%) had water in addition to breast milk, water and other breast milk substitutes.
patients were those that were full term and healthy at delivery with appropriate for gestational age, birth weight and delivered vaginaly. Babies exclusively breast fed had daily weight gain that ranged between 50 and
do grams and monthly weight gain of between 700 and 1,220 grams. These babies also doubled their birth weight at between 56 days (2 months) and 84 days (3 months) of life and tripled their birthweight at between the ages of
140 days (5 months) and 168 (6 months).
ies not exclusively breastfed had a daily weight gain that ranged between 12 and 70 grams and monthly weight gain of between 400 and 800 gm. Such babies doubled their birthweight at 168 days (6 months) of life. The study has shown that babies exclusively breastfed show greater weight gain than those not exclusively breastfed. |
|
|
|
| [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
