الفهرس 
HISTORY OF BREASTFEEDING AND ARTIFICIAL MILKOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 16 |  |  |
| | | from | 16 | | |
Abstract
Breastfeeding is a basic human right. It is the ideal food for all healthy full-term infants. Breastfeeding alone can satisfy the infant’s nutritional needs for the first 6 months of life.
The evidence is clear that breastfeeding provides immediate and life long nutrition and health benefits for both mother and child, as well as larger economic, environmental and social benefits to families and communities. Breastfeeding must be considered the standard for infant feeding in the first year of life or longer.
The mother’s behavior during feeding her baby is of crucial importance for successfully maintained breastfeeding and in turn good infant development.
In this study a sample of 100 mothers whose infants were in the first 6 months of life have been collected from attendants of primary health care center in New Cairo City to describe breastfeeding practice and to find out the relation ship between infant development and breastfeeding practice in the first 6 months of life.
The study revealed that about 2/3 of our cases were correctly feeding their infants and infant development was better among them than among those who in correctly fed their infants.
There was no significant effect of infant sex, family income, beginning of breastfeeding, mother-infant age or feeding pattern on feeding practice.
An increasing trend of correct infant feeding practice was observed with higher infant order although it did not reach the statistical significant effect.
The supplementary feeding was significantly higher among the in correctly fed infants while there was no significant effect of supplementary type on feeding practice.
The correct feeding practice was significantly higher among illiterate and low educated mothers and fathers than highly educated.
The correct feeding practice was significantly higher among housewife mothers than working for cash.
To conclude: the correct breastfeeding practice is of crucial importance for attaining and maintaining proper nutrition, health and good development of infants.
i.e., correct breastfeeding practice equals good infant development.