Recommendations for infant and young child feeding in emergencies

PTIMAL BREASTFEEDING practices must be promoted and supported in emergency feeding situations.

EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING for the first six months and the introduction of appropriate complementary foods from about the age of six months. Continued breastfeeding for two years and beyond and frequent feeding with safe and adequate amounts of local foods.

PROMOTION, PROTECTION and support of breastfeeding for infants in emergency feeding programmes is essential and extreme caution must be used in using any supplies of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) or other products under the scope of the International Code. Conditions of the World Health Assembly resolution 47.5 should be followed:

• only for infants who have to be fed on BMS (see: WHO A39/8 Add.1,10 April 1986)
• supply is to be continued for as long as the infants require it
• the supply may not be used as a sales inducement.

THE SMALL AMOUNTS OF BMS needed are to be generically packaged with adequate instructions and warnings about appropriate use. No bottles and teats are to be used.

TRAINING OF FIELD WORKERS and policy makers is essential. Agencies and their staff need to be fully trained in the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding as well as international guidelines on infant feeding in emergencies.

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