The Community Infant & Young Child Feeding (CIYCF) Intervention is an aspect of Malnutrition, if done correctly will significantly reduce the number of malnourished children in Kaduna State. Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) intervention is curative, while Community Infant & Young Child Feeding (CIYCF) intervention is preventive. It consists of:
- early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth;
- exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life; and
- Introduction of nutritionally-adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.
CIYCF is ongoing in 13 LGAs in the State. Mothers are continuously counseled on the benefits of the above mentioned.
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative is also being reintroduced in hospitals. It is a high impact strategy for achieving optimal infant feeding through promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding. The mothers are taught that after the first 6 months, the baby is then introduced to complementary foods from locally available and affordable food materials and alongside with this, breastfeeding should continue until the baby is 2 years old and beyond.