Predictors of maternal breastmilk output as possible determinants of infant growth variations in a high HIV prevalent area in Kenya

Irrespective of maternal and infant HIV status, breastfeeding is recommended as the sole source of nourishment up to 6 months of age and is to be continued up to 2 years and beyond. Breast milk does not only provide the much needed nutrients but also has bio-actives – all needed for the growth of a breastfeeding infant. It is therefore imperative that all infants are breastfed on demands and consume as much breastmilk as possible. Despite the similar breastfeeding messages that are given to all mothers, mothers breastmilk output vary, and this may subsequently elicit growth variations among their infants. Understanding the predictors of breastmilk out particularly in a community which of HIV prevalent (a condition that has been found to affect growth of infants) is critical in foretelling infant growth faltering. Using data from a breastmilk study, the potential predictors of breast milk output have been analyzed for and discussed. The objective was to identify specific group on infants below 6 months of age born in a high HIV prevalent areas that could be more vulnerable to growth faltering due to lower breastmilk intake. One hundred and forty mother-infant pairs were recruited into the study at 6 weeks post-partum and followed up to when the infants were 6 months old. Breastmilk output was measured using Dose-to-mother Deuterium Oxide technique at both 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. At both points in time, socio-economic data and child feeding practices were also collected by maternal recall method. This data may be critical programmatically in providing a basis for identifying and providing specialized counselling for mothers who are most likely to produce lower breastmilk, therefore putting their infants at risk of growth faltering. (author)