Assess the child’s feeding

Ask questions about the child's usual feeding and feeding during this illness. Compare the mother's answers to the Feeding Recommendations for the child‘s age in the box below.

ASK

ASK

Feeding recommendations during sickness and health

Up to 6 months of age 6 months and up to 12 months
  • Breastfeed as often as the child wants, day and night, 10-12 times in 24 hours.
  • Feed your child only breast milk for the first 6 months, not even giving water.
  • Empty one breast before switching to the other for your baby to get the most nutritious hindmilk.
  • During illness and for at least up to 2 weeks after the illness, increase the frequency of breastfeeding to recover faster.
  • Do not give other foods or fluids including water.
  • Expose the child to sunshine for 20 to 30 minutes daily.
    		•   
  • Breastfeed as often as the child wants day and night.
  • Start complementary foods at 6 month. Initiate with small soft (semi-solid) foods then build up the volume and density with time.
  • Then give adequate servings of freshly prepared and enriched food; porridge made of cereal and legume mixes, Shirofitfiit, Merekfitfit, mashed potatoes and carrot, mashed gommen, eggs and fruits.
  • Enrich the food by adding some oil or butter every time; also give animal foods (meat, liver, fish, eggs), legumes, vegetables (green leafy, carrots) and yellow fruits (orange, papaya, mangos).
  • Give these foods; 3 times per day if breastfed, 5 times per day if not breastfed (3 main meals and 2 snacks).
  • Babies who stopped breastfeeding at 6 months should also get adequate milk replacement besides complementary feeding.
  • Increase frequency of breastfeeding and intake of food and fluids during illness, and give one additional meal of solid food for about 2 weeks after illness for fast recovery.
  • Give Vitamin A supplements from the age of 6 months, 2 times per year.
  • Expose the child to sunshine.
    		•
    12 months and up to 2 years 2 years and older
  • Breastfeed as often as the child wants.
  • Give adequate servings of enriched family foods: porridge made of cereal and legume mixes, Shiro, kik, merekfitfit, mashed potatoes and carrot, gommen, undiluted milk and egg and fruits.
  • Add some extra butter or oil to child‘s food. Give also animal foods (meat, liver, fish, eggs), legumes, vegetables (green leafy, carrots) and yellow fruits (orange, papaya, mangos).
  • Give these foods at least 5 times per day (3-4 meals and 2 snacks/mekses).
  • Babies who stopped breastfeeding at an early age should also get adequate milk replacement besides complementary feeding.
  • Give your baby his/her own servings and actively feed the child.
  • Give freshly prepared food and use clean utensils.
  • Increase intake of food and fluids during illness, and give one additional meal of solid food for about 2 weeks after illness for fast recovery.
  • Give Vitamin A supplements every 6 months.
    		•
  • Give adequate servings of freshly prepared enriched family foods, 3-4 meals a day.
  • Also, twice daily, give nutritious food between meals, such as: Egg, milk, fruits, kitta, Dabo, ripe yellow fruits.
  • Give your baby his/her own servings and actively feed the child.
  • Give freshly prepared food and use clean utensils
  • Increase intake of food and fluids during illness, and give one additional meal of solid food for about 2 weeks after illness for fast recovery.
  • Give Vitamin A supplements and Mebendazole every 6 months.

    		•