PIP: With the exception of the very poor, lactating mothers from developing countries do not differ significantly from their counterparts in developed countries in terms of the quantity and quality of their breast milk. Healthy women from higher socioeconomic groups can safely exclusively breastfeed their infants for the 1st 4-6 months of life. There is also research evidence from India and other countries that milk from low-income mothers may contain enough energy to sustain infant growth for the same length of time. Poor mothers appear to compensate for the lower fat content of their milk by producing milk with high protein and lactose content. Among the poor, early supplementation of breast milk often results in an increased incidence of gastrointestinal infection and not in significant weight gain. This finding suggests that an effort should be made first to improve the lactation of the mother through nutritional supplementation and counseling before interventions are directed at the infant. Finally, given the role of better educated urban women as trendsetters, an effort should be made to counteract their widespread belief that their milk is insufficient for infant nutrition.