Breastfeeding Policy, ORT, Infant Feeding and Weaning Practices

Comprehensive vocabulary terms and definitions regarding national breastfeeding policies, infant feeding indicators, weaning practices in West Africa, and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT).

Breast milk

A meal for newborns and infants containing all essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, essential fats, proteins, minerals, and immunological factors.

Innocenti Declaration

A global initiative produced and adopted in Florence, Italy, in 1990 emphasizing the initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of delivery and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)

Breastfeeding for the first six months of life without providing any other food or fluids, including water.

Optimal breastfeeding

The practice of exclusive breastfeeding for six months followed by the introduction of appropriate foods while continuing breastfeeding up to two years or more.

Lactational amenorrhea

A maternal benefit of breastfeeding that plays a crucial role in child spacing.

Nigeria Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate (2024)

According to UNICEF, the current rate of infants exclusively breastfed for six months in Nigeria is $34\%$, which is below the WHO recommendation of $50-60\%$.

Early (timely) initiation of breastfeeding

The proportion of children $0\text{--}23$ months of age who were put to the breast within one hour of birth.

Minimum dietary diversity

The proportion of children $6\text{--}23$ months of age who received foods from four or more food groups.

Stunted

A condition where a child is too short for their age; estimated to affect $149$ million children under $5$ globally in $2020$.

Wasted

A condition where a child is too thin for their height; estimated to affect $45$ million children under $5$ globally in $2020$.

Responsive feeding

Feeding infants directly and assisting older children by feeding slowly and patiently, encouraging them without force, and maintaining eye contact.

Complementary feeding frequency ($6\text{--}8$ months)

The recommended feeding rate of $2\text{--}3$ meals per day for infants in this age group, alongside breastfeeding.

Complementary feeding frequency ($9\text{--}23$ months)

The recommended feeding rate of $3\text{--}4$ meals per day, with $1\text{--}2$ additional snacks as required.

Akamu (or Ogi/Koko)

A thin cereal gruel made from maize, millet, or guinea corn, which is the most popular first weaning food in Nigeria.

Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT)

A treatment consisting of a salt-and-sugar-based solution taken orally to treat dehydration from diarrhea.

Homemade ORT Recipe

A solution prepared by mixing eight level teaspoons of sugar and one level teaspoon of salt in one liter of clean water.

New formula WHO-ORS NaCl content

$2.6\,g$ of sodium chloride per liter of water.

New formula WHO-ORS Glucose content

$13.5\,g$ per liter, resulting in a concentration of $75\,mM$.

New formula WHO-ORS Total Osmolarity

$245\,mOsm/L$.

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)

A global program established in $1991$ that uses the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" to improve breastfeeding rates.