Mohammad Imtiaz, Tahira S Izhar.
Feeding practices of infants in Lahore.
Pak J Pathol Jan ;8(3):115-20.

The interview findings from mothers about feeding practices of their infants (n=600) from 3 months to 12 months, as determined in a cross sectional study in Lahore are presented. Initiation of breastfeeding was delayed till the 3rd day of life in 70% of the infants, while prelectcal feeding, honey 69.88% was given on first day of life in 80% of the infants. Exclusive breast feeding and exclusive bottle feeding was found in 17.50% and 20.3% respectively, while mixed breast and bottle feeding 61.66% was the most common feeding pattern through whole of infancy. Cow`s milk with 1:1 dilution i.e. one part of milk and one part of water, was used by 56.96% mothers. Commercially available powdered formula by 43.03% mothers was also noted in those cases who were either exclusively bottle fed or both breast and bottle fed. The weaning foods were started between 4-6 months in 24.94%, 7-9 months in 36.05% and 10-12 months in 39.00% infants. Compared with homemade semisolids 38.39%, the commercially available foods were preferred by 60.90% mothers. The results of thus study indicate that though breastfeeding is highly prevalent, yet it is hardly exclusive and prelecteal and interlecteal feedings are highly common. Mixed breast and bottle feeding is the most common feeding pattern during infancy. The weaning foods are introduced late and are often inadequate.

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