INFANT AND YOUNG CHILDREN FEEDING

The first 1000 days of life starting from the start of pregnancy to the child’s second birthday are important for optimal growth, health and development. Therefore, thus is a crucial period for effective infant and young child feeding interventions. Poor feeding practices in infancy and early childhood, resulting in malnutrition, contribute significantly to morbidity delayed mental and motor development, poor school performance and reduced productivity in later life.

 Tanzania is working hard to improve the survival, growth, development and welfare of children by taking responsible measures and implementing intervention strategies which seek to improve their health and wellbeing. There has been notable progress in child survival. Child health and wellbeing is a high priority on the development agenda as reflected in both national and international strategies such as the National Growth Strategy of Poverty Alleviation (MKUKUTA), Millennium Development Goals, Nutrition Policy and National Nutrition Strategy, The Convention on the Rights of a Child and The Law of the Child Act. The development of the National

Guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) is based on the international instruments, global recommendations and guidelines, and national policies and strategies related to IYCF. The guideline, which summarizes the recommendations for feeding of infants and young children at different ages, is especially meant for service providers in maternal and child health, including health service providers and their supervisor, working in Government and non-Governmental organizations and engaged directly or indirectly in care of infant and young children in health facility and the communities. The main goal of the National Guideline is to improve the nutritional status, growth and development, health and survival of infants and young children through optimal feeding practices. The guidelines are intended to be used as an operational tool for the Health Care Provided at different levels.
get the guideline document by clicking  the link below
                                                         ✦   infant and young child feeding guideline.PDF

author; FCS 2017