The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, WHO/UNICEF
Jane Tuttle, Cathy Liles, Mimi de Maza, Rachel O'Leary
LLLI Board of Directors
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 41 No. 3, June-July 2005, pp. 70-71.
Abstract
LLLI supports the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding -- the latest document from the
World Health Organization (WHO). It shows how government, health services, and voluntary groups can work
together for breastfeeding. Leaders can use the Strategy at Group meetings, World Breastfeeding Week and
other publicity events, at meetings with health professionals, and at state or national committees. Copies
of the Strategy are available from the LLLI Catalogue or on the WHO Web site at
www.who.int/nut/documents/gs_infant_feeding_text_eng.pdf.
The vision presented in the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (the Strategy) is
one of a world that supports breastfeeding as the optimal feeding method. This vision is shared by La Leche
League International as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The Strategy is more
than a mere call for action; it is a guide for coordinated activities to promote, protect, and support optimal
feeding practices, particularly breastfeeding, for infants and young children around the world. At its
November 2004 LLLI Board of Directors meeting, the Board voted to support the Strategy and to work
to promote it.
Some of the Strategy will be familiar to breastfeeding advocates as it builds on the components of
earlier WHO/UNICEF work such as The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, the International Code of
Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes, and the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion, and
Support for Breastfeeding. All of these documents have been supported by LLLI. What is unique about the
Strategy is its integrated approach to implementation.
Applicable to both developed and developing nations, the Strategy addresses the need to improve
infant feeding practices worldwide. Families must "have access to objective, consistent, and complete
information about the appropriate infant feeding practices, free from commercial influences" (p.12).
The Strategy emphasizes the need for competent support for breastfeeding, including mother-to-mother
support. It also recommends provision for mothers to continue breastfeeding when they return to paid
employment. These sections of the Strategy are consistent with what LLLI Leaders have been doing
for nearly 50 years
The Strategy is firm that complementary foods must best meet the nutritional needs of the young
child when transitioning from mother's milk. Foods should begin in a timely fashion when a child's
nutritional needs are greater than human milk alone can meet. Foods should be adequate and safe: they should
be of sufficient nutritional value and prepared and fed hygienically. Finally, complementary foods need to
be properly fed: when a child is ready for food besides mother's milk and can feed himself with fingers or
utensils. The use of teats and bottles is discouraged for children. Rather than allowing mother's milk
substitutes to be the norm for infant feeding, the Strategy states "Infants who are not
breastfed, for whatever reason, should receive special attention from the health and social welfare system
since they constitute a risk group" (p. 10).
The Strategy suggests priorities for governments, organizations, and concerned parties. Governments
need a national policy on the feeding of infant and young children as well as an action plan to accomplish
their policy. Providing adequate financial resources and personnel to execute the plan is another obligation
of every government. This means that this strategy is an excellent tool for advocacy at any level. LLL
Leaders may use this tool with governments, health personnel, pediatricians, and also mothers.
It is the task of citizens of a nation to require their governmental agencies to move to action. Actions
can be as simple as persistently writing letters to governmental agencies asking about their plans or
questioning any of their practices toward optimal child feeding. Most governments produce data about health
issues; we can demand that the information be of high quality and easily accessible. A question you may ask
yourself is: Do you know where or how to access your national health data? If not, find out. That in itself
is a move to action.
Organizations and passionate individuals can work toward improving public awareness of the importance of
optimal feeding and the consequences of failure. When LLL Leaders have a display at a parenting or health fair
or any other setting, they are building awareness about the importance of breastfeeding. Sharing a copy of the
Strategy with health-related agencies is another way to increase knowledge about optimal feeding methods.
The booklet is concise and easy to read. It is an advocacy tool.
How can we as Leaders use the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding? One way is to
integrate some of the information into a Series Meeting on nutrition. Since the Global Strategy is a guide
for action, you might introduce the Strategy to your Group and then have a discussion. Another option
might be to have a discussion of ways in which the health and nutritional status of mothers and children are
intimately linked. Group members might enjoy discussing how recommendations based on the best available
scientific and epidemiological evidence are similar or different from their family and friends' experiences
and their own intuition and experience. Another pertinent topic is what happens with inappropriate feeding
practices -- both in malnourished and in over-nourished children. The following quote from the Strategy
might also stimulate discussion: "Improved infant and young child feeding begins with ensuring the health
and nutritional status of women, in their own right, throughout all stages of life and continues with women as
providers for their children and families." Complementary feeding is an important topic for Leaders to
discuss with mothers in any circumstances. It is important when Leaders work with low-income populations. It
is especially crucial in developing countries where infant nutrition is a priority because of high rates of
malnutrition in children under two years old.
The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding can also be shared with local health care providers
or used as a topic for discussion at a maternal/child health coalition meeting. It is appropriate as a handout
at baby fairs or health fairs. In states and countries where LLL is involved in breastfeeding committees, the
Strategy can be used as a template for local planning. There is a discussion group on the Community
Network where you can share ideas and experiences for using the Strategy.
LLLI supports the Strategy as its recommendations are consistent with our philosophy of mothering
through breastfeeding. The Board encourages Leaders to read the Strategy and to share it with your
community. By using the information and recommendations we can make this a breastfeeding world.
For more information, contact the chair of LLLI Board Action Committee.
Page last edited Wed Oct 08 23:38:16 UTC 2008.
