Introduction
A child’s first year’s life is critical being characterised by a high rate of growth and intense maturation. Hence, nutrition has a fundamental role to play in assuring survival and adequate growth. The quality and quantity of foods eaten are extremely important for the development and have life repercussions.1, 2 As per the guidelines of WHO, exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months of life and continuation until 2 years of age, together with the introduction of complimentaryfoods are must.3
Breast Milk alone is capable of meeting all children’s requirements upto age of 6 months but after this period it must be complemented with adequate foods in order to supply nutritional requirements and prevents infant’s mortality and morbidity, including malnutrition and over weight.4 Hence attempt was made to evaluate the different feeding patterns at different age groups.
Materials and Methods
75 children aged between 6 months to 18 months visiting to paediatric OPD of Vedanta Institute of Medical Science Palgarh, Maharashtra were studied.
Inclusive criteria
The children having normal body weight and normal CVS report were selected for study.
Exclusion criteria
Children having congenital anomalies, Low birth weight and non-cooperative mothers were excluded from the study.
Results
Table 1: Study of inception of first feeding in children 35 (46.6%) children started first feeding less than six hour (< 6hrs), 21 (28%) between 7-12hrs, 10 between 13-24hrs, 7(9.33%) started between 25-48 hrs, 2 (2.66%) started between 49-72 hrs.
Table 2: Study of pre-lactation feeding in children – 16(21.3%) honey, 36(48%) sugar solution (water added sugar), 15(20%) plain water, 8(10.6%) milk.
Table 3: Causes (reason) for stoppage of breast feeding in children – 22(29.3%) due of insufficient breast milk, 16(21.3%) maternal sickness, 15(20%) Infant’s sickness, 14(18.6%) maternal employment, 8(10.6%) subsequent pregnancy.
Table 1
Study of inception of fist feeding in children.
|
S.No. |
Duration |
No of Children |
Percentage (%) |
|
1 |
< 6 hrs |
35 |
46.6 |
|
2 |
7 – 12 hrs |
21 |
28 |
|
3 |
13 – 24 hrs |
10 |
13.3 |
|
4 |
25 – 48 hrs |
7 |
9.33 |
|
5 |
49 – 72 hrs |
2 |
2.66 |
|
Total |
75 |
|
|
Discussion
Present study of different feeding patterns among the children of Maharashtra. In the study of inception of first feeding in children – 35(46.6%) started < 6 hrs, 21(28%) between 7-12 hours, 10 between 13-24hrs, 7(9.33%) between 25-48 hours, 2(2.66%) started between 49-72 hours (Table 1). In the study of pre lactation feeding in children – 16(21.3%) were given honey, 36(48%) sugar solution, 15(20%) plain water, 8(10.6%) milk (Table 2). The causes of stoppage of breast feeding in children – 22(29.3%) due to insufficient breast milk, 16(21.3%) due to maternal illness, 15(20%) infant illness, 14(18.6%) maternal employment, 8 (10.6%) subsequent pregnancy (Table 3). These findings are more or less in agreement with previous studies. 5, 6, 7
It is established fact that, Breast milk alone is capable of meeting all children’s requirements up to six months provided mother is healthy, but after this period it must be complemented with adequate foods in order to supply nutritional requirement and prevent infants mortality, morbidity and malnutrition. Any food other than breast milk is defined as complimentary food. 8
Infants feeding practices are influenced by the family environment by information provided by health professional and also by the media through advertising by food manufacture.9, 10 WHO has proposed timely complementary feeding (TCF) indicator, for the children aged between 6 to 9 months who are still breast feeding and also eating solid and semi solid foods.11 Excessive milky diets have been reported as cause of anaemia during first years of life, liquid cow’s milk is a poor source of iron and can also inhibit absorption of iron present in some other foods given concomitantly.12 It was also reported that, elevated iron deficiency anaemia among the children under five years old, attributed the fact low breast milk intake and insufficient supply of nutrition in the diet12 because majority of the children in the present study belonged to middle socio-economic status.
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