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Weaning practices and breast-feeding duration in Northern Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Dorothy A. Jackson ,
Stella M. Imong ,
Lumduan Wongsawasdii ,
Adung Silprasert ,
Sakda Preunglampoo ,
Posri Leelapat ,
R. F. Drewett ,
Kosin Amatayakul  and
J. D. Baum
Dorothy A. Jackson
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Health, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BJ,
Stella M. Imong
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Health, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BJ,
Lumduan Wongsawasdii
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
Adung Silprasert
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
Sakda Preunglampoo
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
Posri Leelapat
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
R. F. Drewett
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Durham
Kosin Amatayakul
Affiliation:
Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand,
J. D. Baum
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Health, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BJ,
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Abstract

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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% 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, breast-feeding 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 breast-feeding. However, mothers who gave infant formula as the first supplementary food stopped breast-feeding slightly earlier, as did younger mothers living in households with more children.

Breast-feeding: Supplementary feeding: Weaning

Keywords

Breast-feedingSupplementary feedingWeaning
Type
Breast-feeding and Weaning Pratices
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 67 , Issue 2 , March 1992 , pp. 149 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1992

References

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