title: Early neonatal feeding is common and associated with subsequent breastfeeding behavior in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: Exclusive breastfeeding of newborns, a practice recommended by WHO, is hindered in many countries by practices such as prelacteal feeding (feeding other foods before breast milk is fed to infants). This paper describes maternal and infant characteristics and trends over time associated with early neonatal feeding (ENF) in Bangladesh. The analysis used data from 24,992 participants in a randomized controlled trial supplementing vitamin A and β-carotene to women in northwestern rural Bangladesh. A majority of newborns (89.2%) were fed substances other than breast milk in the first 3 d of life. Early neonatal feeding practices were found to be significantly associated with lower maternal education, higher gravidity, lower socioeconomic status, and younger maternal age. A perceived inability to suckle normally after birth was closely related to the risk of an infant being fed a food other than breast milk in the first 3 d of life [OR = 0.09 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.11)]. Only 18.8% of newborns fed an early neonatal food were exclusively breastfed between 3 d and 3 mo postpartum compared with 70.6% of those not fed an early neonatal food during this period (P < 0.05). Early neonatal feeding practices should be addressed when scaling-up exclusive breastfeeding in South Asia. Maternal education, antenatal care, and support during labor and delivery may help reduce ENF and promote exclusive breastfeeding.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.forename: Alain B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Labrique
authors.forename: Sucheta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.forename: Hasmot
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Abu A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shamim
authors.forename: Rolf D W
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Keith P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D001942:Breast Feeding; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D008895:Milk, Human; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A