Supporting Access to Breastmilk Through Wet Nursing in Emergencies

Technical and Operational Guidance for Increasing Access to Breastmilk through Wet Nursing in Emergency Settings

The focus of this guidance on wet nursing is as a compassionate, altruistic, and unpaid arrangement between a caregiver and a woman willing to breastfeed the infant. Our goal is to facilitate access to breastfeeding for vulnerable infants by normalizing support for wet nursing as part of infant and young child feeding strategies in emergencies.

The guidance includes:

• Technical and practical advice on why, where, when, and how to support wet nursing within health and nutrition in emergency settings
• Recommendations that primarily target emergency response but are also applicable in non-emergency settings to enhance resilience and preparedness.
• Recognizing that there are diverse reasons for wet nursing, this guidance presents scenarios commonly faced in emergencies, where wet nursing can be urgent and essential for child survival as a package of services for mothers and infants.