Also on Medscape today. Much more positive than the previous one;-) Anna Swisher Austin, TX ----------------------------------------- Four Months of Exclusive Breast-Feeding Recommended for Low-Birthweight Infants DELHI (Reuters Health) Apr 25 - Exclusive breast-feeding in the first 4 months of life prevents diarrhea and produces better weight gain, researchers in India have confirmed. Dr. Dipika Sur, of the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Calcutta, and colleagues studied the effect of exclusive breast-feeding in 50 low-birthweight (LBW) neonates from a Calcutta slum. The team defined low birthweight as less than 2.5 kg. Fifty neonates with normal birthweight (NBW) served as controls. All infants were followed up until 4 months of age with weekly visits by health workers. Weight was measured monthly. The researchers, writing in the April issue of Indian Pediatrics, report that by 4 months of age, 76% of LBW infants and 70% of controls had been exclusively breast-fed. Weight gain in this group, among both NBW and LBW infants, was significantly more than that in infants who were weaned early. On average, exclusively breast-fed LBW babies gained over 1 kg more than those weaned early. In accordance with results from other parts of the world, the incidence of diarrhea was eight times less among LBW infants who were exclusively breast-fed than among those who were weaned early, Dr. Sur's team reports. Indian Pediatr 2001;38:381-384. *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html