HOW 1,000 DAYS BREAST AND COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING BUILD HEALTHY CHILDREN.
HOW 1,000 DAYS BREAST AND COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING BUILD HEALTHY CHILDREN. By Olabisi Adegbite Nutrition Desk Officer, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Ogun State. In the blueprint of human development, no period matters more than the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. From the moment of conception to a child's second birthday, their future health, physical capacity, and cognitive potential are largely decided by what they eat. Good early nutrition is not a luxury; it is the single most essential building block for physical survival, strong immunity, and lifelong mental ability. At the very heart of this critical window lies Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF). This means giving an infant only breast milk for the first six months of life, without adding water, herbal teas, or infant formula. Often called nature’s first vaccine, exclusive breastfeeding is the most reliable way to protect newborns and set them on a path toward l...