Today marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week. From 1 to 7 August this worldwide campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage action on everything surrounding this practice. Associations, platforms, support groups and health-related organisations join the celebration to put the spotlight on the importance of breastfeeding.
Its main driving force is the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), which has chosen as its theme for 2024 Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all. This year, the campaign aims to highlight how important it is that all mothers who wish to can successfully breastfeed their children, whatever their circumstances. We must not forget that, around the world, health crises, the climate emergency and armed conflicts make this practice harder.
Breastfeeding, an essential practice:
Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for newborns, as it provides everything they need to grow up healthy and strong. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life and that, from then on, complementary foods be introduced while breastfeeding continues until around two years of age.
However, despite the WHO’s recommendations, data show that the rate at which breastfeeding is abandoned during the first three weeks is far too high and, among the causes behind these figures, we find the lack of information and support that families receive.
Society, a key pillar for normalising breastfeeding
Although it is a completely natural practice, there are still many prejudices and taboos around it today which, in the long run, lead mothers to choose other ways of feeding their children. In addition, in many ways society is not ready for mothers to be able to breastfeed continuously without any interruption.
Going back to work when maternity leave ends, with the clash of schedules this brings, the lack of breastfeeding rooms or places to express milk, or the alarmed looks from people who see a woman breastfeeding her child in public, all make it difficult to keep up exclusive breastfeeding.
In this respect, support groups and pro-breastfeeding associations play a key role in developing information and
support services for all women who wish to breastfeed their children, based on a “peer support” or “mother-to-mother” approach.
Matermap and breastfeeding
This week, at MaterMap we want to look at breastfeeding in even more depth. We will bust myths and give you advice and tips to help you cope. And on our social media we will have lots of surprises for all of you, so don’t miss a thing!
Happy World Breastfeeding Week!