Feeding infants with solid or complementary foods other than breast milk before six months may increase their risk of iron deficiency and anaemia, while exposing them to choking and infections, paediatricians have warned.
The experts explained that giving babies foods such as eba, fufu and pap too early may displace breast milk without providing enough of the nutrients needed for proper growth and development.
They added that poor feeding practices at that stage could also expose infants to contaminated food and water, and it reduces their intake of breast milk, which provides important nutrients and antibodies that help protect against infections.
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, meaning that babies should receive only breast milk and no other food or drink, including water, except where medically indicated. The global health body recommends introducing safe and nutritionally adequate complementary foods at six months
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