Assessment of Exclusive Breastfeeding Barriers and Growth Velocity Patterns in Infants inside Urban Low-Income Settings

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences | Vol. 12, No. 12, December 2022 | pp. 89–96

DOI: 10.46882/2022/IJMMS/120089

Original Research Article

Assessment of Exclusive Breastfeeding Barriers and Growth Velocity Patterns in Infants inside Urban Low-Income Settings

Evelyn N. Kamau¹, Tunde O. Adebayo², Sarah M. Touré¹*

¹Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

²Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract:

Suboptimal exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates in low-income urban settings are linked to poor infantile somatic development and an increased infectious disease burden. This prospective longitudinal cohort study investigated specific socio-environmental barriers to EBF and monitored infant growth velocity patterns over the first six months of life. We enrolled 240 mother-infant pairs at birth from peri-urban primary healthcare centers. Infant anthropometric data (weight, length, and head circumference) were captured monthly, while breastfeeding practices and adherence barriers were tracked using standardized structural interviews. The confirmed rate of EBF at 6 months was only 32.5% (78/240). Early introduction of complementary liquids or solids occurred at a median infant age of 3.4 months. The most common self-reported barriers to maintaining EBF were an early return to informal work (62.5%), maternal perception of insufficient breast milk supply (54.0%), and lack of family or spousal support (38.0%). Anthropometric growth modeling showed that infants who completed the full 6 months of EBF had a significantly higher mean weight-for-age Z-score at month 6 (+0.24 ± 0.15) compared to the non-EBF cohort (-0.48 ± 0.22, p < 0.01). Non-EBF infants experienced a 2.8 times higher incidence of acute diarrheal illnesses during the follow-up period (p < 0.001). Low EBF adherence in urban low-income populations is primarily driven by maternal economic obligations. Improving EBF rates requires community-based support programs and targeted nutritional counseling during early infancy.

Keywords: Exclusive Breastfeeding, Infant Growth, Low-Income Settings, Growth Velocity, Diarrheal Morbidity, Nutritional Status

Manuscript Timeline: Received: September 10, 2022; Revised: October 20, 2022; Accepted: November 11, 2022; Published: December 16, 2022.

Citation: Kamau EN, Adebayo TO, Touré SM. Assessment of Exclusive Breastfeeding Barriers and Growth Velocity Patterns in Infants inside Urban Low-Income Settings. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2022, 12(12): 89–96. DOI: 10.46882/2022/IJMMS/120089

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