World Breastfeeding Week 2018
World Breastfeeding week is celebrated every year from 1st to 7th August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.
In India, we lose 16.5 lakh children every year due to easily preventable diseases. Early initiation of breastfeeding alone can save the lives of 13% of babies. Malnutrition contributes to nearly one third of child deaths in India. Breastfeeding is one of the single most effective nutrition interventions for saving lives.
There is low awareness about early breast-feeding and exclusive feeding among the poor as well as the affluent sections of our society. Mother’s milk is effectively a child’s first vaccination – and can often be the difference between life and death, particularly for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
It is surprising that mothers are being encouraged to use formula foods. Many of them are still not aware that breastfeeding has several benefits and is good for the emotional and physical well-being of both the mother and the baby. In fact, mother’s milk is the best food for the baby.
We salute Dr Taru Sneh Jindal for her sincere efforts in trying to create a social revolution of sorts by taking this initiative to save new born babies from malnutrition and other deficiencies by promoting Breastfeeding practices in young mothers and disseminating the right techniques and procedures to the medical community through her seminars and workshops across the country.
Breastfeeding Week highlights the challenges breast-feeding mothers face in various aspects of their lives. It aims to educate others about these challenges and also encourages people to work towards creating a supportive and comfortable environment for breastfeeding mothers, whether at work, home or in public spaces.
