Breastfeeding and infant growth outcomes in the context of intensive peer counselling support in two communities in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding and growth faltering during infancy remain challenges in Bangladesh. The Training & Assistance for Health & Nutrition Foundation has been working to address this gap through community-based peer counsellors since 2000. In this paper, we assessed the programme's progress, particularly with respect to early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for normal birth weight, as well as for low birth weight (LBW) infants. METHODS: The peer counselling programme is continuing in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh, but only data collected between January 2013 and June 2015 is presented in this descriptive study. Intensive breastfeeding counselling was provided to women during the third trimester of pregnancy and 6 months postpartum by well-trained peer counsellors. They recorded data…