Innovative Approaches to Improve Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices

This project seeks to improve the nutrition health and survival of newborns and infants in countries where malnutrition is widespread by improving breastfeeding and infant feeding during the transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods called complementary feeding. This initiative aims to use state-of-the-art methods such as private sector marketing communications social networking technology expertise and technical assistance to create the social and behavioural changes needed to improve infant and young child feeding practices. The main activities of the project include: (i) engaging the private sector in the development of marketing strategies to improve breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices; and (ii) advocating for an integrated package of activities that includes the promotion of optimal breastfeeding practices during the neonatal period and improved diets for women during adolescence pregnancy and lactation. The project also works to build the capacity of frontline health workers to address malnutrition effectively conduct awareness and behaviour change activities and evaluate the impact and assess the cost-effectiveness of infant and young child feeding interventions in order to continue to improve their effectiveness and to replicate them in other settings. This project is part of Canada's maternal newborn and child health commitment.

The expected results for this project include: (i) increased rates of exclusive breastfeeding among infants 0-6 months old; (ii) increased number of children put to the breast within one hour of birth; (iii) decreased infant and neonatal mortality; (iv) improved complementary feeding practices in children aged 0-23 months; (v) prevention of stunting and wasting in children under five; and (vi) improved policy and program platforms for maternal diet breastfeeding and complementary feeding.