Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, followed by the introduction of appropriate complementary foods and continued breastfeeding, is recommended by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund as the most effective feeding practice to ensure child health.
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The deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique (DTM) safely measures breast milk intake over a two-week period without interrupting the normal feeding patterns. The method is also indicative of exclusive breastfeeding via the estimated intake of water from other sources than breast milk.
The DTM technique can be used to calculate nutrient intake from breast milk, guide infant feeding programming, and evaluate breastfeeding promotion interventions.