Mothers can not know the precise amounts of breast milk that their children consume, nor will they be able accurately to measure the energy
content of complementary foods.
Many of the studies reviewed showed that women who continued to breastfeed despite the addition
of complementary foods retained a low risk of pregnancy, although somewhat higher than at six months.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: «exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby's life, followed by breastfeeding in combination with the introduction
of complementary foods until at least 12 months of age, and continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby.»
The home fortification
of complementary foods with micronutrient powders is an effective strategy to improve the quality of diets consumed by children and to treat and prevent anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies.
Baby Milk Action comments: Nestlé's change in
labelling of complementary foods for use before 6 months of age should apply to all countries as exclusive breastfeeding is recommend for the first six months of life.
James Friel: Serves on the advisory boards of Heinz and Danone (Both Heinz and Danone are manufacturers
of complementary food products and infant formulas and are in serious violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast - milk Substitutes and relevant resolutions of the World Health Assembly).
Her current research explores aspects of satiety and the influence of marketing and social norms on food behaviours,
including of complementary foods and duration of breastfeeding.
In settings plagued by food insecurity, UNICEF promotes the use of fortified foods and micronutrient powders to improve the nutrient
quality of complementary foods.
The main
types of complementary foods introduced were family foods based on millet and rice and a liquid millet gruel prepared especially for some infants.
Baby Milk Action comment: Nestlé's change in
labelling of complementary foods for use before 6 months of age should apply to all countries as exclusive breastfeeding is recommend for the first six months of life.
In addition, this study identified 794 formula products and 400 complementary food products; 42.8 %
of the complementary food products were intended for 4 - month - old infants.
Many women have occasionally had longer intervals between feedings, their baby has slept through a night, or they have fed the baby regularly with small
amounts of complementary foods, and still have had the same high level of effectiveness.
In particular it promotes baby foods for use from too early an age, contrary to Department of Health (DH) and World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations on exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, followed by the introduction
of complementary foods with continued breastfeeding.
After the first 4 to 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the continuation of breastfeeding along with the addition
of complementary foods for a year or longer.
Breastfeeding and Complementary Foods: After exclusive breastfeeding for the first 4 to 6 months, experts recommend the continuation of breastfeeding together with the
addition of complementary foods.
The
choice of complementary foods will depend on local patterns of diet and agriculture, as well as on existing beliefs and practices, but should never include thin gruels or non-milk liquids.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just recently reaffirmed its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby's life, followed by breastfeeding in combination with the
introduction of complementary foods until at least 12 months of age, and continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby.
The program provides support, counseling and care for pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, newborn care, introduction
of complementary foods and family planning.
These sessions usually take place one - on - one in a woman's home when her baby is around six months of age, to facilitate the transition from exclusive breastfeeding to the introduction
of complementary foods that will meet the child's nutritional needs.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, with the introduction
of complementary foods (not formula) and continued breastfeeding up to two years and beyond.
child not older than 6 months, because at this age begins the introduction
of complementary foods and breast - feeding may not be as frequent.
Effects of early nutritional interventions on the development of atopic disease in infants and children: the role of maternal dietary restriction, breastfeeding, timing of introduction
of complementary foods, and hydrolyzed formulas.