Feeding your sick baby less than 6 months

• A sick baby may not have much appetite, but he or she needs to be encouraged to breastfeed or consume breastmilk to have strength to fight the illness.
• Offer more frequent, shorter feeds to your baby during and after diarrhoea and other illnesses to help the baby fight the sickness.
• Breastfed babies generally lose less weight and recover more quickly from illness.
• Breastfeeding also provides comfort to a sick baby.
• Only give medicines recommended by your health care provider.
• If your baby is too weak to suckle:
• Express your breastmilk to give to your baby by cup or spoon or by expressing directly into your baby’s mouth. This will prevent your baby from becoming dehydrated.
• Express your breastmilk frequently to build up your milk supply.
• Express before or after feeding to continue building milk supply.
• Express breastmilk fully so that breasts 'feel empty' at least every three hours. This helps keep up your breastmilk supply and prevents your breasts from swelling.
• After each illness, increase the frequency of breastfeeding for about two weeks to help your baby regain health and any weight that he or she has lost.
• The nutrients and natural protection that are found in breastfeeding are important to your baby when he or she is ill.
• When you or other members of the family are ill, breastfeeding also helps to protect your baby.
• Very few illnesses or medications that a mother might take for an illness will prevent her from breastfeeding. Tell your health care provider about any medications you are taking.
• Non-breastfed babies younger than 6 months of age are particularly vulnerable and at-risk.

Responsive care and feeding practices

• Engage in responsive care and feeding of your sick baby. This includes:
  • Learning to recognize and respond to any signs that your baby is ill.
  • Offering your baby the breast until he or she starts to breastfeed again.
  • Engaging in skin-to-skin contact to comfort your baby during illness and encourage him or her to suckle.
  • Cuddle your baby more frequently during illness. This is a form of communicating love to your baby and providing extra security.