Celebrating breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week (1st to 7th August 2019) is about how empowering parents enables breastfeeding now and in the future this year. Focusing on supporting both parents to be empowered is vital in order to realise their breastfeeding goals.

Empowerment is a process that requires evidence-based unbiased information and support to create the enabling environment where mothers can breastfeed optimally. Breastfeeding is in the mother’s domain. Breastfeeding improves when fathers, partners, families, workplaces, and communities support mothers.

We can all support this process, as breastfeeding is a team effort. We all need to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

World Breasfeeding Work 2019 aims to protect, promote and support breastfeeding through:

legislation such as paid maternity and paternity leave;

don’t have to choose between providing financially or caring for their family; and

can be involved caregivers too. These measures promote optimal breastfeeding, health and wellbeing as well as protect against discrimination at work. Gender-equitable parental social protection also advances the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby

Breast milk is a natural, renewable food that is produced and delivered without pollution, packaging or waste. Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby because:

drink for about the first 6 months;

colds, tummy bugs, infections and allergies; and

Breast milk is especially important for premature and critically ill babies. In Christchurch, there is a Human Milk Bank which helps mothers who are unable to provide their babies with enough milk due to maternal illness, medication or low milk supply.

Breastfeeding is perfect for mothers too

Breastfeeding because: is perfect

feeding your baby, and bone disease. for you too

Breastfeeding is an important element in global health

The world’s leaders committed to 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. These goals are aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity. Breastfeeding is linked in several ways to these goals, including:

! feeding babies and children;

"adequate energy and can help prevent hunger, undernutrition and obesity;

"even in hot weather. Formula feeding requires access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation;

# in times of adversity and weather-related disasters due to global warming;

# breastfeed optimally, and to be in control

child a fair and best start in life; and

# who work outside the home to manage challenges, such as having crèches near the workplace, lactation rooms and breastfeeding breaks.

Source: World Breastfeeding Week website.