Infant and young child feeding is a key area to improve child survival and promote healthy growth and development. The first 2 years of a child’s life are particularly important, as optimal nutrition during this period lowers morbidity and mortality, reduces the risk of chronic disease, and fosters better development overall.
Tips and information If you need help with breastfeeding, ask others for advice, such as asking a trained health worker or other experienced women Feed a baby only with breast milk for the first six months Give the baby no fluids other than breast milk Give small amounts of easy to digest food at 6 months and continue to breastfeed up to 2 years of age or beyond Give a variety of foods that ...
feeding infants in response to their cues. The caring practice indicators for feeding infants and young children that are available on the NLiS country profiles include: proportion of children aged 0-23 months who were put to the breast within 1 hour of birth; proportion of infants under 6 months who are exclusively breastfed;
This guideline provides global, normative evidence-based recommendations on complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age living in low, middle- and high-income countries. It considers the needs of both breastfed and non-breastfed children. The guideline supersedes the earlier Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child and Guiding principles ...
WHO and UNICEF jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding whose aim is to improve - through optimal feeding - the nutritional status, growth and development, health, and thus the very survival of infants and young children.
Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Virtually, all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large. Colostrum, the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy, is recommended by WHO as the perfect ...
The "Global strategy for infant and young child feeding", also aims to protect, promote and support appropriate infant and young child feeding. Appropriate complementary feeding depends on accurate information and skilled support from the family, community and health care system.
Proper infant nutrition is fundamental to a child’s continued health, from birth through adulthood. Correct feeding in the first three years of life is particularly important due to its role in lowering morbidity and mortality, reducing the risk of chronic disease throughout their life span, and promoting regular mental and physical development.
Complementary feeding is defined as the process starting when breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of infants, and therefore other foods and liquids are needed, along with breast milk. The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods – referred to as complementary feeding – typically covers the period from 6–24 months of age, even ...
Infant and young child feeding is a key area to improve child survival and promote healthy growth and development. The first 2 years of a child’s life are particularly important, as optimal nutrition during this period lowers morbidity and mortality, reduces the risk of chronic disease, and fosters better development overall.
