August 1st to 7th is celebrated all over the world as breastfeeding week. In Feb 1991 WABA which is World's alliance for breastfeeding action was created. This organization supports and promotes breastfeeding all over the world every year there will be a theme on the breastfeeding
This year 2020 the theme is "Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet".
Breastfeeding is the first food babies consume. This food is readily available sustainable and eco-friendly
If optimal breastfeeding could happen in the world, It would reduce 8.2 Lakh baby deaths and 20,000 maternal deaths every year
Formula feeding is associated with lower intelligence with $300 billion of losses annually.
Reports suggest that only 40% of the mothers exclusively breastfeed for six months and out of this 40% only half of them breastfeed until two years.
A child who is not breastfed requires an average of 150 milk cans up to the age of two years. This data suggest that a large amount of breast milk substitutes is needed to take care of the babies who are not being breastfed. this is a humongous task to manufacture powder milk, cans, and the logistics to transport these milk powder cans to the entire world. This would require huge amounts of manpower, energy, and water and will stress the already stressed planet. We are seeing the highest amount of carbon emissions in the world over the last few years.
What can you do to support Breastfeeding?
If you are a mother you should exclusively breastfeed for up to 6 months and then continue breastfeeding until the age of two along with supplementary solid feeds.
You should join social media groups or breastfeeding promotion groups and share your experiences of breastfeeding to other women so that they also successfully continue to breastfeed their children.
The family members should support the breastfeeding mothers in the form of sharing their responsibilities in the daily tasks related to the upbringing of the newborn baby.
To summarise breastfeeding improves the health and intelligence of the child, improves the well-being of the mothers and creates a sustainable, greener & a Healthier planet.
