As World Breastfeeding Week commences, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Member States in the Southeast Asia Region are emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding during this week-long celebration. The event serves as an opportunity to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to institutionalize its practice within healthcare systems.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary foods for up to two years and beyond, provides infants with the best possible start in life. Breast milk is a natural, safe, and clean source of nutrition, delivering the energy and nutrients infants need during the critical early months of life.
Moreover, it continues to provide up to half or more of a child's nutritional needs during the second half of the first year. This invaluable source of nourishment fosters healthy growth and development, bolsters infants' immunity to protect against infectious and chronic diseases, and ultimately reduces newborn mortality.
Early Initiation: Shielding Newborns from Infectious Diseases
Early initiation of breastfeeding, within the first hour of birth, holds numerous benefits. It shields newborns from infectious and chronic diseases, promoting stronger immunity during their formative months. Additionally, early breastfeeding initiation strengthens the emotional bond between mothers and their infants, further fostering the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. However, despite the immense advantages, early initiation rates across the Southeast Asia Region vary significantly, ranging from a high of 89% to a low of 42%.
Recognizing the importance of breastfeeding in enhancing the region's healthcare goals, WHO continues to support countries in the region to strengthen their capacity to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. The initiatives align with the region's Flagship Priorities, which include achieving universal health coverage, preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases, and accelerating reductions in maternal, newborn, and child mortality.
By 2018, approximately 54% of all infants in the region were exclusively breastfed up to the age of six months, representing a significant increase from 47% in 2015 and surpassing the global target of at least 50% by 2025. However, between 2016 and 2017, only 5% of births in the region occurred in health facilities implementing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), developed by WHO and UNICEF.
The BFHI aims to institutionalize breastfeeding within healthcare systems, emphasizing the implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. These steps advocate for practices such as skin-to-skin contact, rooming-in, and kangaroo mother care, all of which significantly reduce newborn morbidity and improve survival.
To accelerate progress in protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding, WHO has outlined several essential strategies for countries in the region. Policymakers are urged to enforce the Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, which aims to limit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes among health workers and in healthcare settings. Raising awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding, with a specific focus on early initiation and continued on-demand breastfeeding for at least the first two years of life, is crucial for shaping public perception and practices.
Health facility administrators and health workers can play a pivotal role by anticipating and responding to the needs of mothers and infants. Strengthening breastfeeding counseling in pre-conception and antenatal care programs and fully integrating baby-friendly practices into quality control standards can provide crucial support and guidance to new mothers. Additionally, health, political, community, and business leaders can contribute to breastfeeding support by implementing family-friendly policies, such as providing paid maternity leave for at least six months and promoting gender-equitable social protection.
Shared Responsibility: Engaging Communities in Breastfeeding Support.
Breastfeeding is a natural act, but it is also a learned behavior. Mothers in the Southeast Asia Region must be supported to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth, within the first hour after delivery. Practical assistance should be provided to help establish breastfeeding and manage any common breastfeeding difficulties. This support is vital to ensuring successful breastfeeding journeys for both mothers and infants.
Moreover, breastfeeding is a powerful tool for managing the double burden of malnutrition prevalent in the region. It plays a critical role in reducing the risk of ovarian and breast cancer for women. Breastfeeding is, therefore, a universal solution that offers everyone a fair start in life and lays the foundation for good health and the survival of children and women.
At the beginning of World Breastfeeding Week, WHO reiterates its commitment to support all countries in the Southeast Asia Region in protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding. By stepping up efforts to create breastfeeding-friendly environments and practices, the region is working towards a healthier and more prosperous future for its children and mothers.
Breastfeeding is not just a personal choice; it is the shared responsibility of families, communities, and governments to provide every child with the best start in life. With continued support and dedication, breastfeeding can contribute significantly to achieving the region's healthcare goals and ensuring that every newborn and child not only survives but thrives.
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