BREAST-FEEDING AND CATCH-UP GROWTH IN INFANTS BORN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE

Postnatal growth was prospectively measured from birth to 1 y in 54 te rm infants born small for gestational age (SGA), fed either breast mil k or a standard term infant formula. Breastfeeding was associated with a 0.36 and 0.64 standard deviation (SD) increase In weight at 2 weeks and 3 months of age, respectively, which persisted beyond the breastf eeding period (0.64 SD at 1 y). Breastfed infants also showed greater catch-up growth In head circumference [SD score (SDS) 0.53 higher at 3 months], and greater body length gain (SDS 0.68 higher at 6 months), This Increased growth was independent of potentially confounding obste tric, social and demographic factors. Our findings suggest that breast feeding may promote faster growth in infants compromised by poor growt h in utero. SGA infants may be programmed for a number of adverse outc omes; the possibility that such events are altered by choice of postna tal diet is a key issue for future research.