05/08/2024
World Breastfeeding Week is a global healthcare event celebrated annually in the first week of August (01st to 07th).
During the entire week, various international and local organisations join hands in promoting the importance of breastfeeding benefits to newborns and mothers. World Breastfeeding Week also promotes, defends, and supports women’s rights to breastfeed their babies anytime and anywhere.
Breast milk is the primary source for all their nutritional needs in the initial few months of an infant’s life, as it comprises 87% water, 7% carbohydrate, 4% lipid and 1% protein, vitamins, and other minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, etc).
Appropriate breastfeeding equipped with both maternal and child benefits that include prevention of child from severe diseases (short- and long-term diseases) such as:
Respiratory problems (such as respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, etc.); Sudden infant death syndrome (unexplained, sudden, and unexpected death of a healthy baby, also called cot death); Diarrhoea, leading to quick dehydration; Necrotising enterocolitis (a serious gastrointestinal issue affecting premature babies); Otitis media (infection of the middle ear); Obesity (excess fat); Type 1 Diabetes (little or no insulin production, resulting in excess blood sugar).
In women, breastfeeding has been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Copied: Pace Hospitals
