Breast milk is the natural first food for babies, it provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first six months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life. Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects the infant against infectious and chronic diseases. Breastfeeding as a practice was recommended by WHO (2001), for optimal feeding. Prolonged Exclusive Breastfeeding is a process whereby the infant receives breast milk from the maternal breast for a period more than 6 months without addition of any food, drinks or supplements (Kong et al., 2004). Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding has been associated with infectious episodes and admissions to hospital for infection in the first year and second of life (Jolly, 2008).
Breast milk is the natural first food for babies, it provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first six months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second year of life. Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects the infant against infectious and chronic diseases. Breastfeeding as a practice was recommended by WHO (2001), for optimal feeding. Prolonged Exclusive Breastfeeding is a process whereby the infant receives breast milk from the maternal breast for a period more than 6 months without addition of any food, drinks or supplements (Kong et al., 2004). Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding has been associated with infectious episodes and admissions to hospital for infection in the first year and second of life (Jolly, 2008).
Breast milk is the natural first food for babies, it provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first six months of life, and it continues to provide...