Mixed feeding, or giving other liquids and/or foods together with breast milk to infants under 6 months of age, is widespread in many countries.
This practice poses risks to an infant’s health because it can increase the chance of their getting diarrhea and other infectious diseases.
Mixed feeding, especially giving water or other liquids, can also causes the supply of breast milk to decrease as the baby sucks less at the breast.
Babies do not need liquids other than breastmilk, not even water, in the first 6 months as breastmilk contains all the water a baby needs, even in very hot climates.
Mixed feeding increases the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV. Exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months was associated with a three to four fold decreased risk of transmission of HIV compared to mixed feeding breastfeeding in several African studies.
Now that you know, kindly breastfeed that baby. Mother’s milk is the best.
Source: Unicef
