World
Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage
breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.
It
commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government
policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and
support breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding
is the best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends
exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is 6
months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while
continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond.
This year,
WHO is encouraging people to “Support mums to breastfeed anytime, anywhere,” as
all of society has a role to play in making our communities more
breastfeeding-friendly.
Breast milk
provides the ideal nutrition for infants. It has a nearly perfect mix of
vitamins, protein, and fat -- everything your baby needs to grow. And it's all
provided in a form more easily digested than infant formula. Breast milk
contains antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.
Breastfeeding lowers your baby's risk of having asthma or allergies. Plus,
babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, without any
formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of
diarrhea. They also have fewer hospitalizations and trips to the doctor.
Breastfeeding
has been linked to higher IQ scores in later childhood in some studies. What's
more, the physical closeness, skin-to-skin touching, and eye
