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The new "breast from birth" growth charts. An updated version of the paper given at the Primary Care Conference and
1Child Growth Foundation, London.
Insights
New weight charts for breast-fed infants show a distinct growth pattern, differing from formula-fed babies. These charts aim to reduce anxiety for parents and healthcare providers regarding infant weight gain.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Current infant weight charts do not accurately reflect the growth patterns of exclusively breast-fed infants.
- Breast-fed infants exhibit a unique growth trajectory compared to formula-fed infants, often leading to misinterpretation of their development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce novel weight reference charts specifically designed for breast-fed infants.
- To provide a more accurate tool for assessing the growth of breast-fed babies, reducing unnecessary anxiety and interventions.
Main Methods:
- Development of new weight reference charts based on data from 120 long-term British breast-fed infants.
- Analysis of the specific growth patterns observed in the breast-fed cohort.
Main Results:
- Breast-fed infants demonstrate accelerated initial weight gain followed by a deceleration and downward trend across centiles from 2-3 months of age.
- The new charts highlight the distinct growth pattern of breast-fed babies, differentiating them from the standard British 1990 reference chart.
Conclusions:
- The newly developed charts will help prevent unwarranted anxiety among mothers and healthcare professionals regarding infant growth.
- The Child Growth Foundation suggests these charts could serve as a universal reference for all British infants, regardless of feeding method.
Abstract:
The Child Growth Foundation has published the first weight reference charts specifically designed for the breast-fed infant. Based on a sample of 120 long-term British breast-fed babies, the charts demonstrate the particular growth pattern of breast-fed babies. This differs from formula-fed infants in that breast-fed babies initially gain weight more rapidly, but from two to three months of age their weight gain decreases and they begin to move downwards across centiles. At present breast-fed babies are measured against the standard British 1990 weight reference chart rather than one that reflects the pattern of the long-term breast-fed baby. The author, Tam Fry from the Child Growth Foundation, argues that the new charts will prevent mothers and health professionals from becoming anxious and changing the infant from breast to formula milk when growth begins to slow down. He also suggests that the charts could be used as the reference for all British babies, whatever the means of feeding.
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