Table 1.

Criteria for the World Health Organization infant feeding categories

Breastfeeding category	Food sources the infant can receive	Food sources the infant cannot receive
Exclusive	Breast milk as the main food source, medicine, vitamins, minerals	Anything else
Predominant	Breast milk as the main food source, liquids (water, fruit juice, oral rehydration salts, ritual fluids, medicine, vitamins, minerals)	Anything else
Complementary	Breast milk AND solid/semi solid food or any other liquid (non‐human milk, food based fluid, water, fruit juice, oral rehydration salts, ritual fluids, drops, syrups)	–
No breastfeeding	Solid/semi solid food, liquid (non‐human milk, food based fluid, water, fruit juice, oral rehydration salts, ritual fluids, drops, syrups)	Breast milk

Binns C.W. et al. (2009) Defining exclusive breastfeeding in Australia. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 45, 174–180.