Energy contribution from non-breastmilk items in low-income Guatemalan infants in their sixth month of life.

Objective: To examine the nature and energy contribution of complementary feeding in breastfed infants in their sixth month of life, and the prevalence of the use of bottles as a delivery method.

Materials And Methods: We recruited 156 breastfeeding infants at a health clinic in metropolitan Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. A previous-day recall was performed.

Results: Sixty nine mothers (44%) reported offering items other than breastmilk. The median contribution of energy from complementary foods among infants with mixed feeding (n=66) was 197 kcal/day (interquartile range [IQR] 49-353). The median energy contribution of formula or cow's milk among consumers (n=39) was 212 kcal/day (IQR 84-394). Bottles were used on the previous day by 55 (80%) of the 69 mothers not offering exclusive breastfeeding.

Conclusions: Premature introduction of non-breastmilk items is commonly practiced in feeding Guatemalan infants. Adherence to the internationally recognized guidelines for early infant feeding should be an intervention priority for this population.