World Breastfeeding Week 2022: Educate and Support Breastfeeding

World Breastfeeding Week is a public health campaign to increase breastfeeding rates and support the rights of breastfeeding mothers. It is observed every year during the first week of August.

The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2022 is: Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support. This theme aims to highlight the importance of high breastfeeding rates and how much can be achieved through education and support.

The week was first observed in 2016 by UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and WHO/UNICEF Joint Programme on Breastfeeding Promotion (JPBP). The campaign is now being coordinated as part of World Health Day celebrations each year.

Breastfeeding Week

Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) is dedicated to advancing advocacy, protection, and promotion of breastfeeding to ensure that all families have the opportunity to breastfeed.

The mission of Breastfeeding Week is to increase awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and support mothers in breastfeeding their babies for at least six months. The campaign is designed to educate mothers about the importance of breastfeeding and dispel common myths about breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Awareness Month (August) is also about encouraging breastfeeding in public places (such as restaurants and malls), as well as making sure people are comfortable when it comes to talking about breastfeeding in public.

Breastfeeding is Normal

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Breastfeeding is natural, ordinary and necessary for babies. Breastfeeding is beneficial for both mothers and babies and helps protect the mother’s breast from cancer, infection and other illnesses. Breast milk contains antibodies which are needed by the baby’s immune system.

Breastfeeding also gives mothers a sense of control over their bodies and helps them feel connected to their babies.

Mothers who breastfeed are healthier than those who don’t.

Benefits of Breastfeeding 

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Breastfeeding is the best way to feed your baby. It helps protect your baby from getting sick, and it also helps to strengthen your bond with your baby.

Breastfeeding has many benefits for babies and moms:

• It protects against illness, including diarrhoea and respiratory infections

• Babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of ear infections, allergies and asthma compared to those who are formula-fed

• Breastfeeding can help babies sleep better at night, which reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

• Breastfeeding helps a mom lose weight after giving birth, which allows her to recover faster from delivery.

• It takes longer for breasts to return to their pre-pregnancy size after breastfeeding ends than after bottle-feeding lots.

• Babies who are breastfed are less likely to develop childhood obesity than those who are bottle-fed.

Breastfeeding helps mothers bond with their babies, which is essential for both mother and child in the early stages of life. It also encourages mothers to take good care of themselves after giving birth since breastfeeding can help them lose weight if they are overweight or obese.

Mother’s Milk for Baby’s Future

Breastfeeding is mother’s milk for man’s future. Breast milk contains all infants need to grow and develop. Breastfeeding also helps mothers to recover from childbirth and to protect them from infections, cancer and other diseases.

Breastfeeding is a natural process that helps babies to grow healthy, strong and confident. It also protects babies from preventable illnesses like diarrhoea, pneumonia and ear infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome by up to 90%. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months reduces the risk of breast cancer in the mother by as much as 50% and in both mothers and their children by 25-35%.

Contains Everything Your Baby Needs

Breastfeeding is the best way to start a baby’s life and the best way to continue it. Breast milk contains all infants need to grow and develop. According to WHO, breastfeeding is the ideal way to feed your baby because it helps them develop healthy habits and immunities.

Breastfeeding is also essential in preventing infant death and disease. Breastfeeding can help prevent diarrhoea, pneumonia, ear infections and other illnesses that can be deadly for an infant. It’s also linked to better growth and development for breastfed babies for at least six months.

Breastfeeding Isn’t Everything

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The World Breastfeeding Week is a time to celebrate the joys of breastfeeding, raise awareness about the importance of maternal health, and promote the value of breastmilk as an alternative to infant formula.

It’s easy to forget that not all mothers can or choose to breastfeed, but they can still provide nourishment and comfort to their babies by bottle-feeding. If you decide not to breastfeed or cannot breastfeed, bottle-feeding may also be an option for you or your baby. Bottles are portable and easy to clean, which makes them a good choice for busy parents who aren’t always able to pump after work or run out the door in time for their child’s schedule at daycare.