Liberian practices in feeding infants water, breastmilk and first food

Practices in feeding water, breastmilk and first food are described for 125 children ≤25 months of age living in four geographic areas of Liberia, West Africa, in 1980. Samples of 18–32 children represented five socioeconomic groups, three from rural areas and two from the urban capital, Monrovia. Diet was assessed using a method to reduce communication errors. Breastfeeding initiation was earlier and duration greater in rural groups compared to urban groups (≥9 versus ≤7, respectively). The average age for introducing food was 2.0 months, but it varied by group between 0.9 and 2.7 months. Nonmilk foods were introduced before or simultaneously with milk‐based foods in all groups except one which used milk‐based foods as a breastmilk replacement. Delayed introduction of water and food in one group was due to a health clinic's educational efforts and not to inherent cultural differences. Food introduction was earlier than shown in two previous surveys. Practices made a perspective on infant feeding policy recommendations.

Key words:

• infant feeding
• first food
• breastfeeding
• beikost
• Liberia
• Kissi
• Krahn
• Kru