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By Mark DaCosta- From Tuesday, August 1 to Monday, August 7, more than 100 countries will observe World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). The annual observance – which began in 1992 – is jointly promoted by numerous organisations including, notably, the United Nations (UN), the World Health organization (WHO), and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). The primary objective of the week is to encourage women to exclusively breastfeed their babies for at least six months after birth. That is, the baby should be fed only breast milk.
On the occasion of WBW 2023, the UN and the WHO released a joint statement. In part, the statement says:
“In the last 10 years, many countries have made significant progress to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates. Yet even greater progress is possible when breastfeeding is protected and supported, particularly in the workplace.
“This World Breastfeeding Week, under its theme, “Let’s make breastfeeding at work, work” – the UN and WHO are emphasizing the need for greater breastfeeding support across all workplaces to sustain and improve progress on breastfeeding rates globally.
“In the last decade, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding has increased by a remarkable 10 percentage points, to 48 per cent globally. Countries as diverse as Cote d’Ivoire, Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Somalia and Viet Nam have achieved large increases in breastfeeding rates, showing that progress is possible when breastfeeding is protected, promoted, and supported.”
Experts say that the importance of breastfeeding babies cannot be overstated. As such, an entire week has been set aside for the worldwide campaign.
The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has released a list entitled, “The great benefits of breastfeeding.” The list is as follows:
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Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most babies.
As the baby grows, the mother’s breast milk will change to meet the baby’s nutritional needs.
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Breastfeeding can help protect babies against some short- and long-term illnesses and diseases.
Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs. -
Breast milk shares antibodies from the mother with her baby.
These antibodies help babies develop a strong immune system and protect them from illnesses. -
Check out these links to learn more:
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Mothers can breastfeed anytime and anywhere.
Mothers can feed their babies on the go without worrying about having to mix formula or prepare bottles. When traveling, breastfeeding can also provide a source of comfort for babies whose normal routine is disrupted. -
Breastfeeding can reduce the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Breastfeeding has health benefits for the mother too! Some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure are less common among women who breastfeed.
Guyanese mothers and expectant mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their babies according to the medical recommendations.
If there are any issues, problems or questions, Guyanese mothers should discuss such matters with their doctors.
