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Nutrition and nurturing care in the first 1,000 days

Updated Generic C-IYCF Counselling Package, 2024 (UNICEF | 2024)
Nutrition and nurturing care in the first 1,000 days

Key Messages

  • The period between the start of a pregnancy through the first two years of a child’s life is known as the first 1,000 days. This is the most critical time for a baby’s physical growth and brain development. Any damage to physical growth and brain development that occurs during this period is difficult to reverse.
  • Good nutrition and nurturing care practices during the first 1,000 days allow children to grow, develop, learn and thrive. They are the essential building blocks for brain development, healthy growth and a strong immune system.
  • Poor nutrition early in life harms children’s physical growth and cognitive development, with consequences for academic performance, productivity, and economic earnings later in life. These consequences can carry over generations, undermining the health and development potential of children, communities and nations.
  • Good nutrition is critical for women during pregnancy, and even before conception. If women do not get enough calories and foods rich in nutrients during pregnancy, their babies may be born too early, too small, and vulnerable to malnutrition.
  • During early infancy, children grow very rapidly. By the end of the first month, most babies will weigh between one and two pounds above their birthweight. Babies often double their birth weight between four and six months of age, and triple their birth weight by their first birthday.
  • Lifelong eating habits, food preferences and tastes are also formed during early childhood.

Included Images
Maternal Nutrition - Pregnant woman eating healthy meal - 01 - Updated Generic
Counseling - Breastfeeding counseling - 01B - Updated Non-country specific
Breastfeeding - Exclusive breastfeeding - sitting with happy baby - 01 - Nigeria
Learning Through Play - Father playing with child during tummy time - 01 - RCEL
Learning Through Play - Mother and baby playing on a pot together - 02 - RCEL
Child Health Care - Immunization 9-12mo - 01B - Rwanda
Family Planning - Cycle beads - 06 - CIYCF23
Family Planning - Condoms - 05 - CIYCF23
Sanitation - Cleaning up animal feces - 02 - CIYCF23
Hygiene - Woman washing hands - 01 - CIYCF23
Breastfeeding - Family support for breastfeeding - 00 - CIYCF23
Objects - Health Center - 01 - CIYCF23
Child Health Care - Measuring a child's arm - 00 - CIYCF23
Child Health Care - Community health worker weighing baby in scale - 01 - CIYCF23
Complementary Feeding - Complementary feeding 9-12 months 9-12 months - 06 - CIYCF23
Complementary Feeding - Complementary feeding 9-12 months 9-12 months - 06 - CIYCF23
Complementary feeding - Complementary feeding 12-24mo 12-24 mo - 08 - Updated Non-country specific
Horticulture - Tending a kitchen garden - 01 - CIYCF23
Food - Vitamin A Food Group - 00a - CIYCF23
Food - Meats - 00b - CIYCF23