The best start to a human’s life is a mother’s milk. To commemorate the pure form of milk and the importance of it, the ‘World Breastfeeding Week’ is celebrated between the 1st of August and 7th of August every year. It is initiated and supported by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). The sole aim of this event is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
A mother is at risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, if she does not breastfeed her child.
Breastfeeding is the most essential part of a baby’s daily intake for survival as well as, for a mature brain development. It also brings both the mother and child closer bonding them together through breastfeeding sessions and also nurtures the child. Breast milk is rich in nutrients and has just the right amounts and proportions of fat, proteins and water, making it an ideal consumption for the development of an infant. A baby who is not breastfed in the first half of the year has higher chances of dying from pneumonia.
“A mother MUST breastfeed her baby within an hour of birth to save the newborn’s life”
Advantages of Breastfeeding:
- Right amounts of nutrients, proteins, fat and water
- Better immune system
- Greater brain development
- Fights life threatening illnesses
- Increase in resistance power
- Sterility of the milk
- Limited constipation
- Development of jaw and teeth
- Higher IQ
- Less risk of malnutrition
Though the decision of breastfeeding a child is a personal one, it is highly recommended to choose breastfeeding over formula milk for babies. Formula milk can never meet the complexities and purity of a mother’s milk. There are many new moms who are working, and cannot breastfeed their baby.
That’s the reason why many countries offer a paid maternity leave for 6 months and also a paid paternity leave to share an equal responsibility with the mother in taking care of their baby. The paid maternity leave is aimed to promote breastfeeding for a healthier mom and baby.
On this year’s Breastfeeding Week, Sambav proudly encourages and supports breastfeeding babies for a minimum of 2 years right from birth, for both the mother’s and child’s healthy well being. Check out the Sambav’s Health Wallet App for more interesting features!
