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Every year, in August, the first seven days of the month mark World Breastfeeding Week. This event aims to highlight the immense benefits of breastfeeding for infants’ health and well-being. The event is organized annually by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), a global network dedicated to protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding worldwide.
Breastfeeding Week 2023
This event has been held since 1992, and this year, it focuses on working mothers. The theme for the activities is “Making a difference for working parents.” Organizers emphasize that the challenges faced by women in the workplace are the most common reasons for not breastfeeding or stopping breastfeeding earlier than recommended. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends women to breastfeed for at least six months.
It has been reported that women with less than three months of maternity leave breastfed for a shorter duration compared to those with longer leave.
So, this week’s campaign will promote the importance of paid maternity leave and workplace support through the lens of parents themselves. The target audience includes representatives from the government and public sector, as well as business owners and managers. The campaign addresses the mothers who daily face challenges in balancing their livelihoods while giving the best to their babies.
Why Breastfeeding is Crucial for Mothers and Children
Less than half of the world’s infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Universal breastfeeding could prevent 823,000 child deaths and 20,000 maternal deaths annually, saving a staggering $302 billion in financial losses.
Breast milk is the perfect food for infants. It is safe, clean, and contains antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients infants need during their early months of life. In the second half of the first year, breastfeeding meets over half or more of the child’s nutritional needs. And it provides up to one-third of their needs during the second year.
Breastfed children perform better in intelligence tests, are less likely to suffer from excessive weight or obesity, and have a reduced risk of diabetes later in life. Women who breastfeed experience a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes.
About Infant Formula
While the use of infant formula can sometimes be necessary, aggressive marketing of these substitutes often leads mothers to prematurely abandon breastfeeding.
The Global Congress on the Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, organized by the WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on June 3rd in Geneva, focused on the issue of unjustifiable marketing of infant formula based on the results of international research. Delegates from 130 countries gathered to develop strategies to halt unethical marketing practices related to breast-milk substitutes.
During the conference, the VIVID (Virtual Violation Detector) was introduced. VIVID utilizes cutting-edge artificial intelligence and controlled machine learning to identify violations in digital advertising of infant formula products.
