USAID Advancing Nutrition develops, curates, packages, and shares multi-sectoral nutrition knowledge to help you stay on top of developments and evidence in global nutrition programming.
Breastfeeding Protection, Promotion, and Support in Humanitarian Emergencies: A Systematic Review of Literature
Publication Date:
Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsBreastfeedingInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
While Infant and Young Children Feeding in Emergency guidelines outline interventions to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, these recommendations are rarely applied. Research evaluating the influence of interventions aimed at improving breastfeeding in emergency settings is important to encourage and implement optimal breastfeeding practices. This article is behind a paywall.
Mapping Inequalities in Exclusive Breastfeeding in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, 2000–2018
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
Generating exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) prevalence estimates and assessing progress are critical to identify necessary policy and intervention efforts.
Enablers and Barriers of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Employed Women in Low and Lower Middle-Income Countries
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
To increase exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among employed women, employers should offer flexible hours, at least six months maternity leave, and breastfeeding facilities. Identifying modifiable barriers and facilitators may contribute to successful EBF among employed women, thereby reducing mortality and morbidity. This article is behind a paywall.
Effectiveness of Breastfeeding Support Packages in Low- and Middle-Income Countries for Infants under Six Months: A Systematic Review
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
Breastfeeding counseling and education support packages have the greatest impact on breastfeeding practices followed by breastfeeding training, promotion, and peer support. For at-risk infants, support packages need to be adapted and formally tested. Additional research should examine the impacts of breastfeeding support on anthropometry and morbidity.
Characteristics Associated with the Transition to Partial Breastfeeding Prior to 6 Months of Age: Data from Seven Sites in a Birth Cohort Study
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
A higher weight-for-length of the child, recent coughing, and food insecurity were associated with slower transition to partial breastfeeding, while a higher maternal depressive symptom score was associated with earlier transition to partial breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Knowledge and Practices of Working Mothers in the Informal Economy in New Delhi: A Formative Study to Explore New Intervention Pathways towards Improved Maternal and Child Health Outcomes
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
The conditions and nature of informal employment shape maternal and child health outcomes.
Authors call for examining how the gendering of breastfeeding, infant feeding, caregiving, and nurturing align with the social distribution of power, authority, and resources in ways that reinforce gender inequality in political, economic, and social status.
Strengthening Nutrition Interventions in Antenatal Care Services Affects Dietary Intake, Micronutrient Intake, Gestational Weight Gain, and Breastfeeding in Uttar Pradesh, India: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluation
Nutrition-intensified antenatal care (ANC), which provides more home visits and counseling on core nutrition messages than traditional ANC programs, increased iron–folic acid and calcium supplement intake. It also increased exclusive breastfeeding, consumption of vitamin A–rich foods and other vegetables and fruits, and gestational weight gain.
A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research on Barriers and Facilitators to Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice in Sub-Saharan African Countries
Publication Date:
Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningBreastfeeding
Maternal employment is the greatest barrier to exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) while knowledge of the benefits of EBF is the greatest facilitator. Interventions focusing on these and other maternal-infant factors will optimize EBF and improve maternal-child health outcomes.
Breastfeeding: Not Just Mom’s Job—How USAID Promotes and Protects Breastfeeding
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementBreastfeeding
Optimal breastfeeding is one of the most powerful solutions to save the lives of infants and children. Improving breastfeeding extends beyond supporting the woman and child—requiring encouragement and support from skilled counselors, family members, health care providers, employers, policymakers, and others.
USAID Breastfeeding: Providing a Healthy Start for a Healthy Future
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementBreastfeeding
This one minute animated video discusses the benefits of breastfeeding for both baby and mother. USAID has worked with partners for more than 40 years to promote breastfeeding in programs and policies, helping families chart productive and prosperous futures for their children, and supporting communities to thrive.
Feeding Young Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ensuring Their Future Growth and Development
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementBreastfeeding
Healthy complementary feeding after 6 months of age requires foods from four food groups daily. In addition to breastfeeding, babies need 2–3 meals and one snack per day. Sugary snacks and formula are unhealthy options for young children.
Countries need to invest in policies and programs that support women’s breastfeeding decisions. Promoting lactation-friendly employment conditions, and ensuring the availability of health services that support women and their families in breastfeeding, are particularly important.
2021 World Health Day: Improve Global Breastfeeding Practices
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementBreastfeedingCOVID-19
All actors should take a public health approach to strengthen the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and breastfeeding counseling, including during emergencies; implement maternal social protection that includes paid leave and workplace support in the formal and informal sectors; advocate for greater access to skilled breastfeeding counseling; and reinforce support for breastfeeding dyads by dev
Papers describe global breastfeeding trends, short- and long-term health consequences for mother and child, determinants of breastfeeding, the impact of investment in breastfeeding, the effectiveness of promotion interventions, and the need for coordinated global action to address breast milk substitutes.
In addition to women’s time, energy, capacity, and skill, breastfeeding requires family, health facility, community, employer, and policy support. Sociocultural factors, health care practices and policies, paid leave policies and legislation, a lack of skilled support, and aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes all impact likelihood of breastfeeding.
Celebrating 40 years of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
Publication Date:
Food SystemsBreastfeeding
Articles focus on the history of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes; the need to address unethical marketing and further implement and enforce the Code; and additional steps to take to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.
First-Food Systems Transformations and the Ultra-Processing of Infant and Young Child Diets: The Determinants, Dynamics, and Consequences of the Global Rise in Commercial Milk Formula Consumption
Publication Date:
Food SystemsBreastfeedingInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
Increasing formula sales are linked to rising incomes, urbanization, social norms, women's work, medicalization, and the globalization of the industry. Companies use diverse and aggressive marketing techniques to grow their markets, including product diversification, digital marketing, and health professional co-optation.
Attitudes and Perceptions about Breastfeeding Among Female and Male Informal Workers in India and South Africa
Publication Date:
Food SystemsBreastfeeding
Most women surveyed understood the benefits of breastfeeding and initiated breastfeeding, but household responsibilities and financial obligations frequently forced an early return to work. This led to changes in infant feeding practices, including adding breast milk substitutes.