Early infant growth impairment in the setting of frequent exclusive breast feeding: considering therapeutic options

Abstract

Early, frequent exclusive breast feeding (EBF) has many important health benefits for infants through 6 months of age. Overall, EBF promotes optimal infant growth, critically important in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) where more than a third of young children suffer from growth impairment causing high risk of morbidity and mortality.1 Such growth deficits often begin during the first 6 months of life,2 and thus, the benefits of EBF can have a large population impact.3