Nutrition for Lactation and Infancy

Warming Up

Practice 1

Look at the photographs below and in pairs or group answer the questions that follows.

1 2

1. What do you see in picture 1?

2. What do you see in picture 2?

3. Why do you think the baby in picture 1 is having such condition?

4. What are the factors influencing infant malnutrition?

5. What should mothers do to prevent the infant malnutrition?

 Reading
Read the text following text very carefully.
Infant and Young Child Feeding

Undernutrition is estimated to be associated with 2.7 million child deaths annually or 45% of
all child deaths. Infant and young child feeding is a key area to improve child survival and
promote healthy growth and development. The first 2 years of a child’s life are particularly
important, as optimal nutrition during this period lowers morbidity and mortality, reduces the
risk of chronic disease, and fosters better development overall.
Optimal breastfeeding is so critical that it could save the lives of over 820 000 children under
the age of 5 years each year. However, many infants and children do not receive optimal
feeding. For example, only about 44% of infants aged 0–6 months worldwide were exclusively
breastfed over the period of 2015-2020.
Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months has many benefits for the infant and mother. Chief
among these is protection against gastrointestinal infections which is observed not only in
developing but also industrialized countries. Early initiation of breastfeeding, within 1 hour of
birth, protects the newborn from acquiring infections and reduces newborn mortality. The
risk of mortality due to diarrhoea and other infections can increase in infants who are either
partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.
Breast-milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients in children aged 6–23 months.
It can provide half or more of a child’s energy needs between the ages of 6 and 12 months,
and one third of energy needs between 12 and 24 months. Breast milk is also a critical source
of energy and nutrients during illness, and reduces mortality among children who are
malnourished.
Children and adolescents who were breastfed as babies are less likely to be overweight or
obese. Additionally, they perform better on intelligence tests and have higher school
attendance. Breastfeeding is associated with higher income in adult life. Improving child
development and reducing health costs results in economic gains for individual families as
well as at the national level.
Longer durations of breastfeeding also contribute to the health and well-being of mothers: it
reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer and helps space pregnancies–exclusive
breastfeeding of babies under 6 months has a hormonal effect which often induces a lack of
menstruation. This is a natural (though not fail-safe) method of birth control known as the
Lactation Amenorrhoea Method.
Around the age of 6 months, an infant’s need for energy and nutrients starts to exceed what
is provided by breast milk, and complementary foods are necessary to meet those needs. An
infant of this age is also developmentally ready for other foods. If complementary foods are
not introduced around the age of 6 months, or if they are given inappropriately, an infant’s
growth may falter.
 Practice 2
222
Answer these following questions based on the text above.
1. Why are the first 2 years of a child’s life particularly important?

2. What breastfeeding can do for children under 5 years old?

3. What are the benefit of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months?

4. How long is the practice of breastfeeding suggested given to infant?

5. What happens if complementary foods are not introduced around the age of 6 months?

Vocabulary

Practice 3
222
Complete the food column for children below by giving examples in the provided place.

Grains

Protein

Veggies

Fruits

Dairy

Sugar
 Practice 4
454222
After completing the chart above, organize the information in the food pyramid for children
below, together with the appropriate serving size.

Serving Size
6 Serves a day, 3 serves a day, 2 serves a day, 2 serves a day, 2 serves a day, on special day

Practice 5
222
Match the word with its definition
WORDS

1. undernutrition
2. chronic
3. breastfeeding
4. infection
5. newborn

6. adolescent
7. exceed
 8. inappropriate
9. menstruation
10. falter

DEFINITIONS

a. a way of feeding a baby directly with milk from a woman's breasts

b. to be greater than a number or amount, or to go past an allowed limit

c. a condition in which bacteria or viruses that cause disease have entered the body

d. to lose strength or purpose and stop, or almost stop

e. insufficient intake of energy and nutrients to meet an individual's needs to maintain

good health

f. the process of blood flows from girl’s/woman’s uterus for a few days every month.

g. a disease or something bad continuing for a long time

h. recently born

i. unsuitable

j. a young person who is developing into an adult

Writing

Practice 6
222
Complete the following paragraph using the provided words in the box.
Lactation and Infant Nutrition
Lactation is of great importance to infant nutritional needs. It is difficult to generalize about
infant growth 1)………………………….. since there are variations among communities and since
there may be some modification of infant feeding practices. The choice of an appropriate
standard is even more difficult to estimate since they are interdependent on energy intakes.
However, the 2)…………………………. between energy and protein content in breastmilk appears
to be fairly constant through lactation and among communities. It is likely that for normally
growing children exclusive breastfeeding is not likely to result in a serious mineral or nutrient
deficiency. Discussion is included about 3)……………………… of breastmilk output and the
various means to do so in order to calculate energy and nutrient requirements. Currently,
controversy surrounds the timing of milk 4)……………………… for those infants being breastfed.
A general guideline seems to be that weaning should be avoided before age 4 months in
industrialized countries. The various problems which are reiterated are: growth targets,
nutritional requirements, 5)…………………………. of lactation, and the weanling dilemma. A
rational public health target should be normal growth and the maintenance of a normal
nutritional status. Nutritional requirements must be sensibly set because if the target is too
high it will be dismissed as impractical; if it is too low, it will fail to meet the needs of a
6)………………………… portion of the population.

supplements balance substantial optimization expectations measurement

Practice 7
222
Complete the poster below with the available information.

Take in 500 A Breastfeeding B Get 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day from calcium-
C
micrograms of folic mothers need an rich dairy and leafy greens to support a baby’s bones
acid each day to help extra 450 to 500 and nervous system. A cup of milk or yoghurt contains
support baby growth. calories per day about 300 milligrams of calcium.
A cup of fortified to produce milk
breakfast cereal – around 2,500
calories per day.
contains about 400
micrograms of folic
Drink plenty of water. A breastfeeding mother can
also have up to 200 milligrams of caffeine per day, so
D
acid, while a cup of no need to cut coffee entirely (one cup is typically
cooked spinach about 100mg caffeine)
contains about 230
micrograms.
 Practice 8
222
Practical Assignment

Work individually and make a weekly meal plan for children aged 5-7 years old. Make sure that your
meal plan include:

a) before breakfast

b) breakfast

c) snack

d) lunch

e) dinner