This assertion, and related comments and findings, set out by the Bellagio Child Survival Group in a recent article in the Lancet summarising findings from international research of how best to reduce infant mortality in developing countries, is made despite our limited knowledge of how best to promote EBF. This proposal addresses the urgent need to tackle this limitation. How best to promote EBF needs attention because it will be necessary to secure high rates of support for EBF from young mothers, and we do not currently know the best way to bring this about, particularly in the cultural context of Africa. Unless we can find more effective strategies to combat poor feeding practices in both health facility and community settings, the child mortality rate will continue to be high.