August 1st to 7th marks
World Breastfeeding Week, a time to promote breastfeeding and raise awareness on the physical and emotional benefits of breastfeeding for child and maternal health. The week commemorates the 1990
Innocenti Declaration signed by international development agencies and governments to enable women exclusively breastfeeding for the first 4-6 months of their child's life.
The theme for this year is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), having near universal breastfeeding can save the lives of 800,000 children and 20,000 mothers every year. This is because breastfeeding is linked to lower risk of breast cancer,
ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease for mothers. For children, breastfeeding provides complete nutrition, protects against infections and illnesses and promotes early childhood development.
WHO guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding from the first hour of the child's life up till 6 months old. After 6 months, nutritious foods should complement breastfeeding up to 24 months or more.
