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A comparison of growth patterns in breast and bottle-fed infants with congenital heart disease
Insights
Infants with congenital heart disease fed by bottle experienced poorer weight gain compared to breastfed infants. However, disease severity did not predict breastfeeding ability, suggesting maternal factors influence initial feeding choices.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Infant Nutrition
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) presents unique challenges for infant feeding and growth.
- Understanding feeding patterns is crucial for optimizing outcomes in infants with CHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and compare feeding and growth patterns in breastfed versus bottle-fed infants diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
- To explore relationships between feeding method, disease severity, and infant weight gain.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive correlational study design was employed.
- Data were collected from 45 mother-infant dyads.
- Feeding practices, disease severity, and weight gain patterns were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Bottle-fed infants showed significantly greater deviations from their growth curves compared to breastfed infants.
- A significant relationship was observed between length of hospital stay and the transition from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding.
- Infant cardiac defect severity did not predict breastfeeding ability or duration post-discharge.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding appears to support better growth trajectories in infants with CHD compared to bottle-feeding.
- Maternal factors may play a significant role in the initial success or failure of breastfeeding in this population.
- While disease severity is not a barrier to breastfeeding, other factors influence feeding choices and outcomes.
Purpose:
To describe the feeding and growth patterns of breast and bottle-fed infants with congenital heart disease.
Methodology:
A descriptive correlational design was used to examine relationships between incidence of breast feeding, severity of disease, and patterns of weight gain for 45 mother-infants dyads.
Findings:
Using chi square analysis, length of hospital stay was found to be significantly related to the decision to switch from breast to bottle feeding. Bottle-fed infants fell significantly off their individual growth curves than did breast-fed infants.
Conclusions:
Severity of cardiac defect was not a predictor of the infant's ability to breast feed nor of the duration of breast feeding after discharge. Maternal variables may account for initial failure of breast feeding.