AN ASPHN BRIEF
COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING:
CHILDREN BORN TO UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANT FAMILIES
For the first time, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services included dietary recommendations for infants and toddlers in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or DGA. ASPHN is providing these complementary feeding briefs to assist nutrition professionals in supporting families’ cultural preferences. Learn more below.
last update: 2023-01-26
INTRODUCTION
Since 2014, fighting and war in Ukraine have created a humanitarian crisis with increasing insecurity, displacement and emigration. More than six million civilians (predominantly women and children) have fled the country since February 2022. While the largest numbers of refuge-seekers emigrated to nearby Poland, Slovakia and Romania, over 150,000 Ukrainians relocated to the U.S. between March and August 2022.
INTRODUCTION
Since 2014, fighting and war in Ukraine have created a humanitarian crisis with increasing insecurity, displacement and emigration. More than six million civilians (predominantly women and children) have fled the country since February 2022. While the largest numbers of refuge-seekers emigrated to nearby Poland, Slovakia and Romania, over 150,000 Ukrainians relocated to the U.S. between March and August 2022.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
Data collected prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine provides an early snapshot of Ukrainian immigrants.
- Most Ukrainian immigrants to the U.S. lived in three states in 2015 -19: New York, California and Washington, with large established Ukrainian communities in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.
- Most pre-war Ukrainian immigrants in the U.S. are naturalized U.S. citizens and gained legal permanent residence through either family sponsorship or admitttance by refugee/asylum channels. 1
- In 2019, 47% of Ukrainian immigrants aged 5 and older had limited English proficiency.
BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES OBSERVED IN UKRAINE
During times of peace, breastfeeding is the norm and preferred method of infant feeding in Ukraine. 2
THERE ARE MANY trained breastfeeding consultants in Ukraine, and efforts to assist breastfeeding families continue in country even during wartime.
SWITCHING TO FORMULA is a frequent occurrence during crisis. 3
FORTY-SIX PERCENT of internally displaced parents stopped breastfeeding infants under six months of age, accessing infant formula through humanitarian assistance when possible.
EARLY INTRODUCTION of formula (at 4.2 months) and complementary foods (~ 4.8 months) is common due to breast milk being less plentiful due to health and stress concerns, fears of nutritional inadequacy, and commercial baby food companies encouraging complementary food introduction at 3 – 4 months. 4
IN PEACETIME, breastfeeding is typically continued and encouraged, as infant formula is imported and prohibitively expensive.
THE MEAN AGE of discontinuing breastfeeding was 7.9 months, but older babies often receive a commercially formulated “children’s milk,” available through food stores.
IN PEACETIME, breastfeeding may typically continue into the child’s second year.
COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES OBSERVED IN UKRAINE FAMILIES
Lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding and high rates of introduction/use of other foods and fluids before six months of age are often seen, especially in Ukrainian families in crisis.
TEAS (typically chamomile, dill or fennel) are commonly given from birth as digestives and calmatives, and this practice is encouraged by some health professionals. 4
OF CHILDREN AGED 4 AND 5 MONTHS, 33.3% and 83.3% respectively were consuming soft, semi-soft or hard foods.
COMMONLY GIVEN FIRST FOODS are homemade or commercial porridge of semolina or other grains and fruit/vegetable purees (notably potato, pumpkin, zucchini and cauliflower).
EGG YOLK is introduced from age 7 to 10 months, homemade cottage cheese at around 9 months, and cow’s milk for drinking at 10 – 12 months. Of infants 6 – 23 months, 73.4% ate meat the previous day, when affordable.
OF INFANTS 6 TO 23 MONTHS, 73.4% ate meat (including turkey and fish, typically) the previous day, when affordable.
SOURCES
- Migration Policy Institute. Migration Information Source. Rodriguez J. and Batalova J. (2022). Ukrainian immigrants in the United States. Accessed 10-03-2022.
- Personal communication, Broyaka, A. 11-11-2022.
- Breastfeeding Babies During War. Daniel A. (2022). Accessed 09-29-2022.
- Emergency infant and young child feeding assessment among internally displaced persons – Kramatorsk – Slovianske – Svitohirske Ukraine. Final report. UNICEF and Save the Children. Global Nutrition Cluster (2015). Accessed 09-29-2022.