Malnutrition and childhood illnesses are typically more prevalent in children under the age of five.

Around 11 million children under the age of five die each year from preventable and treatable
conditions, the most common of which are pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and malnutrition.
For the promotion of ideal growth, health, and behavioral development, the first 24 months of life are
especially crucial. Additionally, it is the prime time for common childhood illnesses, micronutrient
deficiencies, and slowing growth. By the baby's first birthday, their length has doubled and their birth
weight has tripled, indicating that they grow very quickly in their first year. Infants who do not receive
enough calories, vitamins, and minerals frequently do not develop as quickly as anticipated.

A person who is chronically undernourished during this time suffers irreparable harm, as does society
as a whole. It causes productivity losses in adulthood, which lowers cognitive and physical abilities, in
addition to a significant rise in under-five mortality and the burden of disease globally. Because of
this, the person's lifetime income earning potential is impacted, making it challenging to escape
poverty. Additionally, malnourished kids who gain weight quickly later in childhood and adolescence
are more susceptible to chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions.
Over half of all child fatalities worldwide (3.5 million per year) are attributed to inadequate nutrition.

The 'window of opportunity' is the period from conception (-9 months) to 23 months because it is
advantageous to children's long-term health to prevent undernutrition during this time. According to
estimates, breastfeeding can reduce diarrheal mortality in infants 0-5 months old by 24-27% and up to
13% of all infant deaths. Additionally, breastfeeding exclusively and for the full 23 months of a child's
life promotes linear growth and significantly lowers their risk of infection. On the other hand, proper
complementary feeding could prevent 6% of all deaths in children under the age of five. Therefore, it
is essential for children to grow, develop, stay healthy, and survive that IYCF practices are at their
best.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF advise exclusively breastfeeding a baby for the first six
months of life and continuing to breastfeed that baby for as long as possible, up to and including age
two. When a baby is exclusively breastfed, they are only given breast milk (including expressed breast
milk), with the exception of vitamins, minerals, and medications in syrup or drop form. Displays an
overview of the infant and young child feeding spectrum. Infant formula with added iron is also
acceptable for babies if breastfeeding is not possible, even though it is highly recommended.

The best food for infants is human breast milk, which is superior to all alternatives, including infant
formula sold in stores. This is due to the fact that it meets the special requirements of a human infant
by offering all the nutrients required for the first six months (or 26 weeks) of life. You are already
aware that human milk's composition changes over time. It varies throughout breastfeeding,
depending on the time of day, and during feeds. Infant milk consumption and maternal milk
production as a whole both vary. Infants typically consume 650–850 ml of milk per day on average,
but this number can range from very little to more than 1 litre. The effectiveness and frequency of
sucking will determine this.