Every year, more than 20 million infants are born weighing less than 2.5kg – over 96% of them in developing countries. These low-birth-weight (LBW) infants are at increased risk of early growth retardation, infectious disease, developmental delay and death during infancy and childhood.

Most LBW is a consequence of preterm birth, small size for gestational age, or both.

Interventions to improve the feeding of LBW infants are likely to improve the immediate and longer-term health and well-being of the individual infant and have a significant impact on neonatal and infant mortality levels in the population.

WHO recommends that LBW infants should be fed mother's own milk. If these infants cannot be fed mother's own milk, they should be fed donor human milk (in settings where safe and affordable milk banking facilities are available or can be set up) or standard infant formula.

LBW infants who need to be fed by an alternative oral feeding method should be fed by cup or spoon. Limited evidence suggests that feeding LBW infants in response to their hunger cues (ad libitum or demand/semi demand) rather than at scheduled intervals allows earlier attainment of full oral feeding and earlier hospital discharge.