Abstract

PIP: This study examines infant feeding practices to: 1) measure the effect of early weaning on mortality; 2) identify characteristics distinguishing mothers who practised early weaning; 3) clarify the respective roles of maternal milk deprivation and factors associated with bottle feeding; and 4) measure the effect on survival of giving bottlefed babies additional foods. 1712 rural mothers who had had deliveries in the preceding years were interviewed. Level of statistical significance was preset at 0.01. Three times as many deaths occurred among babies given bottles before the age of 3 months as among those who were wholly breastfed. As nearly 50% of the children had started bottlefeeding by that age, bottlefeeding was considered a major factor in infant mortality. Additional foods provided these babies with some protection but continued breastfeeding did not. Improvement in living standards accelerated weaning and let to an increase in the proportion of children being fed on bottle alone. Infant mortality consequently increased with income. The findings confirm the claim that early weaning is a concomitant of economic developments. It is suggested however that the risk associated with bottle feeding may be reduced by adding or supplementing other foods to the diet.