Early initiation of breastfeeding

Proportion of children 0-23 months who were put to the breast within one hour of birth.

Unit Description

Percentage

Numerator

Number of women with a live birth in the X years prior to the survey who put the newborn infant to the breast within one hour of birth

Denominator

Total number of women with a live birth in the X years prior to the survey

Disaggregation

Geographical area, sex

Indicator used for response monitoring ?

Types

Baseline

Threshold / Standard

No standard; < 80Proportion of is generally a priority. Discuss high, medium and low designations as a group

General guidance

WHO IYCF core indicator.

Guidance on phases

For Phases III-IV, an adapted indicator should be used where the same methodology is used but the denominator is infants born since onset of the emergency. (Proportion of children born since the onset of the emergency who were put to the breastfed within one hour of birth). In Phase 1 and 2, the denominator used should be infants born since onset of the emergency. In these phases opportunistic sampling will be necessary, e.g. at facilities providing obstetric services/newborn support.

Phase applicability

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Guidance for pre-crisis/baseline

For preparatory phase, the WHO core indicator should be used as a baseline where the denominator is children born in the last 24 months (Proportion of children born in the last 24 months who were put to the breastfed within one hour of birth).

Data Sources

Preparatory, Phase III and IV: representative IYCF survey. Phase I and II: use key informant interviews and opportunistic sampling to give an ALERT indication

Comments

Note: DHS data are based on the three years or five years prior to survey and MICS data are based on the two years prior to survey