“Breastfeeding: A mother’s gift for every child”
Adequate nutrition in infancy and early childhood have been establishes o be an essential requirement for optimal growth and development and also promote the health and behaviour of the child. Breastfeeding has been unparalleled as an ideal food for optimal growth and development of infants and held as an integral part of reproductive process with enormous health benefits to the mother and infant. Based on this understanding came a global strategy to improv breastfeeding and give impetus to the practice of sufficient breastfeeding with the world breastfeeding offshoot. The world breastfeeding week is to commemorate the innocent declaration signed in August 1990 by government, policy makers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The World breastfeeding week theme for 2022 is “step up for breastfeeding: Educate and Behaviour”. World breastfeeding week (WBW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and startle action on themes related to breastfeeding. This is celebrated every 1-7th of August in commemoration of the 1990 and been coordinated by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer. It prevents the emergence of childhood anaemia, increases the mental development of the child and provides a close emotional and psychological contact with baby and mother. This early bonding developing between the child and mother gives the child a sense of security and trust in parents. Most importantly, breast milk contains nutrients essential for the growth and development of the infant during the early ages. Breast milk protects against respiratory and gastro-intestinal infections. Breastmilk is very easy for the child to digest and reduce the risk of allergies. Thus, in order to achieve progress on the global exclusive breastfeeding goals, health care systems should integrate breastfeeding promotion and support throughout the prenatal and postpartum periods. Although there is ever- growing evidence about the advantages of breastfeeding, the global breastfeeding rates are not significantly increased. High income countries were found to have low rates of exclusively breastfed babies. Whereas in the middle and low-income countries, exclusive breastfeeding rates were found to be high and specifically, poor women often breastfed their babies for an extended period of time. Doctors all over the world recommend that at least six months of exclusive breastfeed is essential to build a strong immunity system in child. Nowadays, majority of the countries are giving paternity leave. In a few countries, the available leave is shared between mother and father. However, it should be recognized that paternity leave can be very beneficial to families, as the fathers can also establish a relationship with the new born as well as plays a major role in supporting mothers’ post- delivery and throughout the lactation period.
Kerala Academy of Pharmacy, supports breastfeeding for a healthier planet, as this brings to the consciousness of everyone that practicing optimal breastfeeding has enormous benefits from a broader perspective “planet”. When the whole planet is healthy and sufficient then it’s a win-win situation for everyone, as they can derive better yields from a healthy environment. When optimal breastfeeding is practices, less energy consumption will take place, as the mothers not need to prepare extra milk. This will reduce the burning of fuel wood, lessen deforestation, reduce carbon emission which could lead to major environmental issues like global warming and other environmental pollutions. These environment problems could bring many diseases and damages the respiratory tract, depletion of the ozone layers etc. Kerala Academy of Pharmacy strongly recommends and spread adequate awareness about the significance of breastfeeding in the World Breastfeeding Week. Also, our institution provides proper counselling and awareness about the health care of mothers, especially during the pregnancy period.
