Effects of Neonatal Feeding Patterns on Infant Health

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neonatal Nutrition
• Child Development

Background:

• Early and appropriate infant feeding is crucial for nutritional status, immunity, and long-term health, potentially preventing adult chronic diseases.
• Understanding the impact of different neonatal feeding methods on infant growth and development is essential for establishing optimal infant care guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of neonatal feeding methods (exclusive breastfeeding, artificial feeding, mixed feeding) on infant physical growth and psychomotor development.
• To assess the influence of early feeding practices on growth rate and overall development in infants aged 0-3 years.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 600 healthy newborns (37-40 weeks gestation, 2350-4100g) were categorized into exclusive breastfeeding (32.3%), artificial feeding (34.5%), and mixed feeding (33.2%) groups.
• Nutritional status was assessed using the Kaup index. Intellectual and behavioral development were evaluated using the Developmental Screening Test (DST) and Bailey Infant Development Scale (BIDS).
• Growth parameters (weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height Z-scores) were analyzed using WHO 2006 standards, with statistical analysis performed using SPSS 24.0.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in WAZ and HAZ at 3 months. From 0-6 months, WAZ and HAZ were higher in breastfeeding and mixed feeding groups compared to artificial feeding.
• From 6-12 months, artificial feeding showed better WAZ and HAZ. Mixed feeding group exhibited higher scores in MI, DQ, PDI, and MDI from 12-36 months compared to other groups.
• Artificial feeding group had a significantly higher prevalence of illness (57.8%) compared to breastfeeding (22.2%) and mixed feeding (19.8%) groups. Normal psychological development was higher in breastfeeding (88.7%) and mixed feeding (88.9%) groups.

Conclusions:

• Supplementing with formula milk in the initial days can reduce infant illness incidence when colostrum secretion is low.
• Breast milk provides essential immune substances for disease resistance. Mother-infant bonding is fundamental for infant mental health development.
• Mixed feeding and exclusive breastfeeding are associated with better nutritional outcomes, reduced illness, and improved cognitive and motor development in infants up to 3 years.