BREASTFEEDING: BOON TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN INFANTS

Abstract

In India, though breastfeeding is universally practiced, exclusive breastfeeding rates are low  in both urban and rural areas. In India, only 56% of Indian mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding  for the recommended six months. As India leads the world in the number of preterm births,  malnutrition and neonatal mortality, understanding regarding breast milk and its doshas can help  improve the nutritional status for millions of infants which in turn helps in growth and development  of infant.Therefore, to assess the effect of Stanya Dosha (vitiated breast milk) on Growth and  Development in Infants study conducted. The whole study was divided in three phases and 2 groups  ‘A’ & ‘B’ on the basis of parameters and techniques utilized for breast milk examination. . In ‘A’  group both objective and subjective parameters were used for breast milk test whereas in ‘B’ group  milk was tested on the basis of subjective parameters. Infant’s gain in growth especially weight and  length and achievement of reflexes and milestones were compared with the standard parameters, i.e.  percentile table of Nelson SE et al 1989. The result showed the positive trends of growth and  development, and it was proven that relation exist between the morbidity and Dosha-specific  vitiation of breast milk.