Complementary feeding refers to supplementing breast milk with solid or semi-solid foods after 6 months of age. It should be timely, adequate, and safe. The purposes of complementary feeding are that breast milk alone is no longer sufficient for nutritional needs after 6 months and breastfeeding should continue along with complementary foods. Complementary foods should include foods from at least 4 groups - grains, legumes, dairy, flesh foods, eggs, and vitamin-A rich fruits and vegetables. The consistency of complementary foods should be thick enough to stay on a spoon without running off. [END SUMMARY]

1. Complementary Feeding
Dr. Shibasish Banerjee

2. Learning objectives
At the end of the session learners will be able to
Define complementary feeding.
Mention the purposes and advantages of
complementary feeding.

3. Introduction
• Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) ,a set of
well-known and common recommendations
for appropriate feeding of newborn and
children under two years of age
• Early initiation of breast feeding
• Exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months
• Age appropriate Complementary feeding

4. What is complementary feeding ?
• Complementary feeding means
complementing solid/semi-solid food with
breast milk after child attains age of six
months.
• It should be Timely , Adequate, Safe
• Should be prepared with locally available
food

5. Purpose
• After the age of 6 months, child is ready to
start eating semi-solid food
• Breast milk alone is no longer enough for the
baby’s nutritional needs
• Breastfeeding must continue along with
complementary feeding

6. What type of food
should be given?

7. ≥ 4 food groups
• Grains, roots and tubers
• Legumes and nuts
• Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
• Flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry and liver/organ meats)
• Eggs
• Vitamin-A rich fruits and vegetables
• other fruits and vegetables

8. Frequency/ Day
• 2 times for breastfed infants 6–8 months
• 3 times for breastfed children 9–23 months
• 4 times for non-breastfed children 6–23 month

9. Consistency
• Food must be thick in consistency
- thick enough to stay on the spoon without
running off, when the spoon is tilted
• Meal must be made energy dense
by adding sugar/jaggery and ghee/butter/
oil.

11. Take home message
 Public health measure to prevent nutritional deficiency
 Timely , Adequate, Safe
 At least 4 or food group
 Proper consistency
 Should be prepared with locally available food
 Feeding 2 times for breasted infants 6-8 months; 3
times for breastfed children 9-23 months; 4 times for
non-breastfed children 6-23 months.

12. Problem exercises
• What should be the consistency of food which
can be use for complementary feeding ?
• What is the ideal time for initiating
complementary feeding?
• Breast feeding is a part of complementary
feeding . Yes/ No

13. Thank You