International Week for Breastfeeding: Focusing on Infant Food Security and Safety

PHOTO: UNICEF

The World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 - 7th August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. Breastfeeding provides both long-term and short-term health, economic and environmental benefits to children, women and the society at large.

Studies have shown that children who are breastfed for a longer period have better cognitive development than those who are breastfed for shorter periods; this translates to improved academic performance and productivity. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and averts maternal deaths yearly. These are reasons why public health organizations recommend breastfeeding, starting from one hour after birth to six months until the baby is six (6) months old. Thereafter, nutritious and safe complementary food should be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 1 year and beyond.

Apart from the benefits stated above, it is important to mention that breastfeeding plays a critical role in making food security and safety a reality for millions of babies born every year. That is to say that food security and safety for infants and young children can not be possible without increased rates of breastfeeding. Exclusively breastfeeding babies in the first six months of their lives helps to meet their nutritional and energy requirement for survival. Colostrum, the first milk mothers produce after birth, do not only meet all the nutritional needs of the newborn but also has strong anti-microbial properties, strengthens the infant's immune system and serves as an important source of micronutrient. Can you imagine denying babies these benefits that can help in their development? Breastfeeding coupled with personal hygienic practices by mothers could prevent infants from food poisoning and reduce half of all diarrhea episodes experienced in various parts of the world. Thus, breastfeeding is and should continually be encouraged by everyone.

It is essential to promote breastfeeding in homes, schools, hospitals, worship centers, and workplaces. Most women in their workplaces face enormous challenges when they bear children. Little or no encouragement is given to them from their employers when they put to bed. This, makes some of them regret and at some point quit their jobs to effectively care for their young ones. Since these have been the case, organizations, firms, and industries are encouraged to increase women participation in workplaces, create a friendly environment for mothers, provide paid maternal leave and decent and safe rooms for mothers to comfortably breastfeed their babies.

PHOTO: WHO

In conclusion, breastfeeding should be promoted globally because it does not only benefit children and mothers but also improve socio-economic development. It is extremely important for achieving some of the Sustainable Development Goals as it seeks to improve nutrition and reduce infant hunger (SDG2), improve the health and well-being of both mothers and babies (SDG3), and supports cognitive development for good academic performance (SDG4).


Written by: Chinaza Arinzechukwu