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Cant remember if you registered*Information for Healthcare Professionals only. Breastfeeding is best for babies.
*Information for Healthcare Professionals only. Breastfeeding is best for babies.
Information for Healthcare Professionals only.
Important notice: We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age. We also recognise that breastfeeding is not always an option for parents. We recommend healthcare professionals to inform parents about the advantages of breastfeeding. If parents consider not to breastfeed, healthcare professionals should inform parents that such a decision can be difficult to reverse and that the introduction of partial bottle-feeding will reduce the supply of breast milk. Parents should consider the social and financial implications of the use of infant formula. As babies grow at different rates, healthcare professionals should advise on the appropriate time for a baby to begin eating complementary foods. Infant formula and complementary foods should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.
Hidden hunger: A silent epidemic
"Hidden hunger can be defined as a state of multiple micronutrient deficiencies in the absence of an energy-deficit diet, which compromises the full genetic potential of a child for physical growth and mental development.1,2 It is estimated that hidden hunger affects over two billion people world-wide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.1 In South Africa, less than 1 in 4 children younger than 2 years eat the minimum acceptable diet .3 In 2016, almost half of all SA children under the age of 5 were malnourished, and by 2021, little progress had been made to improve child nutrition.3,4