By Katelyn McSweeney, LSCW — Social Worker Center for Healthy Beginnings
Although World Breastfeeding Week took place in early August, its goals of raising awareness and promoting breastfeeding are important all year. This year, the week’s theme was “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all.” The campaign’s goals included:
- Showcasing how communities, societies, families, and health workers can support breastfeeding mothers.
- Sharing information on breastfeeding benefits and strategies.
- Free support groups staffed by lactation counselors and consultants are available for mothers and babies from birth through the first year of life.
- Promoting environments that support breastfeeding, such as in the workplace and community.
- Strengthen mother-to-mother support. Talking with other women who are breastfeeding can help mothers decide to start and keep breastfeeding. Communities can support mother-to-mother groups and develop peer counseling programs in healthcare settings; both are good ways to connect breastfeeding mothers with each other.
- Childcare providers can support breastfeeding mothers by:
- Providing a comfortable chair and pillow for nursing.
- Offering a private place for mothers to breastfeed or express milk.
- Providing materials to support breastfeeding, such as brochures or pamphlets
Here are some facts released in this year’s campaign. Did you know?
Breastfeeding is associated with a significant decrease in risk of ovarian cancer overall and for the high-grade serous subtype, the most lethal type of ovarian cancer. The findings suggest that breastfeeding is a potentially modifiable factor that may lower ovarian cancer independent of pregnant alone. – Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology, 2020
Breastfeeding for more than six months seems to protect against otitis media (ear infections) during the first six years of life. Introduction to formula feeding before the age of six months increased the risk of otitis media. –Curr Allergy Asthma Rep., 2017
Breastmilk is the most nutritionally and immunologically potent food for infants and toddlers, a food that can fuel brain development like nothing else. – The Lancet, 2016
It is estimated that more than 800,000 child deaths globally and cognitive losses totaling US $302 billion (about $930 per person in the US) per year were attributable to not breastfeeding according to recommendation and exposure to breastmilk substitutes. –The Lancet, 2016
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of childhood infections such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and premature mortality and minimizes nutrition-related harm to cognitive development in early childhood. –Acta Paediatrica, 2015
Breastfeeding reduced the risk of hospitalization for respiratory infection by 57% and this protective effect did not change with age. –World Health Organization, 2013
Paid leave enables women to physically recover from childbirth before returning to work, and benefits their physical, mental and emotional health in the short and long-term. –Public Health Reviews, 2017
Community Voices for Health 