Breastfeeding Practices and Their Association with Infant Growth in the First Six Months of Life in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria

The first six months of life represent a critical window during which optimal feeding practices profoundly influence infant growth and development. This prospective cohort study examines breastfeeding practices and their association with infant growth parameters among mother-infant pairs in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. A total of 240 mother-newborn dyads recruited at birth from two general hospitals in Lafia and Keffi were followed up at monthly intervals for six months. Anthropometric measurements including weight-for-age, length-for-age, and head circumference were obtained at each visit. Feeding practices were assessed using 24-hour dietary recall and caregiver interviews. At six months, exclusively breastfed infants recorded significantly higher mean weight-for-age z-scores (negative 0.4) compared to non-exclusively breastfed infants (negative 1.1) (p less than 0.01). Exclusive breastfeeding was significantly associated with reduced episodes of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections during the follow-up period. Prelacteal feeding was reported in 38.7% of newborns, and early introduction of complementary foods before six months occurred in 46.2% of infants. Common reasons for formula introduction included perceived inadequate milk supply and maternal return to employment. The study contributes local longitudinal evidence on the protective role of exclusive breastfeeding and recommends sustained postnatal counselling and community peer support models. Keywords: breastfeeding, infant growth, Nasarawa State, exclusive breastfeeding, North Central Nigeria.