Will Alive and Thrive’s packages of intervention lead to change in maternity-focussed policy within the countries in which A&T operate?

DRAFT

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have issued infant feeding guidelines centered on promoting breastfeeding, but current breastfeeding practices in many countries fail to follow these recommendations. They believe that increasing breastfeeding rates is critical to improving health, nutrition, and mortality outcomes.1

WHO and UNICEF recommend that ideal feeding for infants should include:

• Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth

• Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) from birth until 6 months of age2

• Partial breastfeeding with complementary solid foods from 6 months until 24 months of age or older

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Alive and Thrive have designed and delivered an intensive package of infant and young child feeding interventions, with a major focus on breastfeeding promotion and support, in cooperation with local health systems in an effort to create a supportive environment for breastfeeding. Alive & Thrive’s program consisted of four components (Intensified interpersonal counseling; Community mobilization; Mass media communications; Policy advocacy)

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Alive & Thrive claims that its policy advocacy activities in Vietnam led to legislation that strengthened the national maternity leave policy and regulations on the marketing of breast milk substitutes.