Officially established by WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF, since 1992 it has been held from August 1 to 7 in more than 120 countries. World Breastfeeding Week, this year under the motto "Breastfeeding, key to sustainable development".
The defense of breastfeeding is not a fad or a fad, it is a matter of public health. It is not only the best food for the baby, but its benefits transcend the nutritional to become a shield against infections, allergies and metabolism regulator, among others indisputable advantages for the health of the baby corroborated by numerous scientific studies, even in the long term.
More than 800,000 lives could be saved
Because of the multiple benefits it has to avoid diseases and increase the defenses in the little ones, breastfeeding is a global priority to prevent the deaths of thousands of children.
If all newborns were fed breast milk from birth until they reach 6 months, more than 800,000 lives could be saved each year worldwide.
It is a surprising fact that suggests everything that remains to be done raising awareness in every corner of the world about the benefits of breastfeeding and how important it is to breastfeed from the first hour of life.
Early breastfeeding, initiated in the first hour of life, is key to successful and prolonged breastfeeding, practicing it from birth can make the difference between life and death.
Results of reports carried out by UNICEF reveal that women are not getting the help they need to start breastfeeding right after birth. In addition, in many countries it is customary to feed the baby with formula milk, cow's milk or sugar water in the first 3 days of life, and the more non-breast milk children receive, the more complicated it is to continue breastfeeding.
Objectives of the #SMLM
This year, the World Breastfeeding Week 2016 It focuses its objectives on the relationship between breastfeeding and sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sustainable development is, according to the United Nations "one that meets current needs without compromising future generations in their ability to meet their own needs."
Breastfeeding points as one of the keys to that goal, as it is related to nutrition, health, food security, development and survival, while also being linked to greater economic productivity, in an environmentally sustainable manner.
