Assessment of Milk Intake and Breastfeeding Practice during the First Six Months after Birth Using the Deuterium Dilution Method among Mother-baby Pairs in Kou Valley, Burkina Faso

Coulibaly Nadine Mireille Josepha Danielle^1, , Ouedraogo Cesaire Tania^{1, 2}, Zeba Augustin Nawidimbasba¹, Sorgho Hermann³, Somda Manituo Aymard Serge^{4, 5} and Ouedraogo Jean-Bosco^{3, 6}

¹Laboratoire de Recherche- Santé Publique et Nutrition, Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé, Burkina Faso

²International Rescue Committee, Bamako, Mali

³Laboratoire de Recherche- Maladies Infectieuses et Parasitologie, Institut de Recherche en Science de la Santé, Burkina Faso

⁴Centre de Calcul, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

⁵Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Science et Technique, Université Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

⁶InSTech, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Cite this paper:
Coulibaly Nadine Mireille Josepha Danielle, Ouedraogo Cesaire Tania, Zeba Augustin Nawidimbasba, Sorgho Hermann, Somda Manituo Aymard Serge and Ouedraogo Jean-Bosco. Assessment of Milk Intake and Breastfeeding Practice during the First Six Months after Birth Using the Deuterium Dilution Method among Mother-baby Pairs in Kou Valley, Burkina Faso. American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2023; 11(2):34-39. doi: 10.12691/ajfn-11-2-1

Abstract

Knowledge of infant feeding practices is important for developing strategies that can help to improve infant nutrition. In this work, we described breastfeeding practice in a rural community in Burkina Faso. We followed forty-six mothers who agreed to exclusively breastfeed their babies up to 6 months. Anthropometry was used to assess the infants’ nutrition status and the deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique applied to estimate the babies’ breastmilk intake (BM) and non-milk oral water intake (non-BM). We found out malnutrition was present during all the follow-up, with a high rate of wasting at the first month (18.6%) and also at 6 months (22.7%). The BM intake increased significantly (p=0.0000) from 570.0 ± 205.7 g/day at birth month to 848.5 ± 175.6 g/day at 2-3 months and reached the maximum of 923.1 ± 184.2 g/day at 4-5 months. Non-BM consumption was minimal at 4-5 months (9.5 ± 67.4 g/day) and maximal at 6 months (187.5 ± 191.6 g/day). Looking at the cross-sectional measurements, the exclusive breastfeeding practice (EBF) was optimal at 4-5 months (88.4% (95% CI:78.8-98.0), n=43) but the longitudinal evaluation since birth revealed that this rate was significantly lower (55.0% (95% CI: 39.6-70.4), n=40, p=0.0007). The study showed there was a hidden inadequate practice of EBF up to 6 months, contrary to the commitment and report of the mothers. Our results will supplement the existing information on breastfeeding practices in the country.

Keywords:
infant nutrition breastmilk intake exclusive breastfeeding deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique

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