Guidance for midwives, health visitors, pharmacists and other primary care services to improve the nutrition of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and children in low income households.

This guidance is for health professionals, commissioners and managers, pharmacists, those providing pre-school childcare and other relevant public, community, voluntary and private sector organisations. 

It relates to pregnant women (and those who are planning to become pregnant), mothers and other carers of children aged under 5 and their children. It is particularly aimed at those on a low income or from a disadvantaged group.

Recommendations for health professionals include:

• Provide women with information and advice on the benefits of taking a vitamin D supplement (10 micrograms [μg] per day) during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
• Provide Healthy Start vitamin supplements (folic acid and vitamin C and D) for eligible pregnant women.
• NHS commissioners and managers are advised to implement a structured programme to encourage breastfeeding within their organisations. It should include training for health professionals.
• Encourage breastfeeding by providing information, practical advice and ongoing support – including the help of breastfeeding peer supporters and advice on how to  store expressed breast milk safely.
• Once infants are aged 6 months, encourage and help parents and carers to progressively introduce them to a variety of nutritious foods, in addition to milk.   

• The guidance complements and supports, but does not replace, NICE clinical guidelines on: antenatal care, diabetes in pregnancy, intrapartum and postnatal care.

  Recommendations 14, 17 and 20 in this guidance have been amended to be consistent with UK World Health Organization growth charts (2009) and advice from the Department of Health on bottle feeding (2011). Most recent changes: July 2011

  In line with ‘The NICE public health guidance development process: An overview for stakeholders including public health practitioners, policy makers and the public (second edition, 2009)’, the next scheduled date for review for update will be in July 2014. For more information about how this decision was reached, please see ‘PH11 Maternal and child nutrition: review decision’.

• Other information

  • PH11 Maternal and child nutrition: guidance (web format)

  NICE Pathways

  This guidance has been incorporated into the following NICE Pathways, along with other related guidance and products.

  Visit the NICE Pathway: diet | physical activity | postnatal care

  How this guidance was produced

  Background information

  • 2008/020 New NICE guidance on diet and nutrition will help give babies and toddlers the best start in life
  • Maternal and child nutrition: fieldwork report
  • Maternal and child nutrition: economic report - maternal nutrition
  • Maternal and child nutrition: economic report - children's nutrition
  • Maternal and child nutrition: economic report - modelling the cost effectiveness of breast feeding
  • PH11 Maternal and child nutrition: evidence

Guidance formats

• Web format
• Quick reference guide (PDF)
• Full Guidance (PDF)