World Breastfeeding Week 2023

Source: Down To Earth
GS II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. World Breastfeeding Week
3. What are the Challenges in Breast Feeding in India?

Why in News?

Each year, the first week of August is designated as World Breastfeeding Week.

• The week-long event aims to raise awareness about the significance of breastfeeding for infant development.

News in Brief

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) on the first day of World Breastfeeding Week, that several nations had achieved noteworthy progress towards raising the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding.
• But if breastfeeding is protected and encouraged, particularly at work, considerably more progress may be accomplished.
• The theme for this year is Let’s make breastfeeding at work, work United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the WHO.
• This emphasises the need for greater breastfeeding support across all workplaces to sustain and improve progress on breastfeeding rates globally.
• Breastfeeding rates drop significantly for women when they return to work.
• Breastfeeding can help achieve many of the 17 SDGs, including goals on poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, and sustainable consumption.

World Breastfeeding Week

• World Breastfeeding Week is an annual global campaign that takes place from August 1st to August 7th each year.
• It aims to raise awareness and promote the importance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of both infants and mothers.
• The week also provides an opportunity to encourage and support breastfeeding as a natural and beneficial way of feeding babies.
• The initiative was first launched in 1991 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), a global network of organizations and individuals dedicated to the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding.
• The week is celebrated in over 120 countries, and each year a theme is chosen to focus on specific aspects of breastfeeding and maternal health.
• Each year, the campaign chooses a theme that reflects the current global breastfeeding context and the challenges or topics that need attention.
• These themes range from maternal health to nutrition, gender equality, and sustainable development.
• Overall, World Breastfeeding Week serves as an important reminder of the significance of breastfeeding for the health and well-being of mothers and children and the need for supportive environments that enable successful breastfeeding practices.

World Breastfeeding Week

• Raising awareness
  • The week serves as a platform to educate the public, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and families about the importance of breastfeeding and its numerous benefits.
• Empowering women
  • World Breastfeeding Week aims to empower mothers with knowledge about breastfeeding.
  • Also its positive effects on the health and development of their children.
• Advocating for policy changes
  • The campaign highlights the need for supportive policies and legislation that protect and promote breastfeeding.
  • For instance paid maternity leave, workplace accommodations for breastfeeding mothers, and access to lactation support.
• Encouraging community support
  • World Breastfeeding Week emphasizes the importance of family and community support for breastfeeding mothers.
  • It can play a crucial role in ensuring successful breastfeeding practices.
• Addressing challenges
  • The campaign also addresses challenges and barriers that may hinder mothers from breastfeeding, such as social stigma, lack of information, and insufficient support systems.

Breast Feeding Global Status

• Over the past ten years, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding throughout the world has climbed by an astounding 10 percentage points, reaching 48%.
• Countries as diverse as Ivory Coast, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Somalia and Vietnam have experienced significant increases in breastfeeding rates.
• UNICEF and WHO called on governments, donors, civil society and the private sector for achieving their breastfeeding goals and reach the global 2030 target of 70 per cent.

What are the Challenges in Breast Feeding in India?

Breastfeeding challenges in India, like in many parts of the world, can be influenced by a combination of cultural, societal, economic, and healthcare factors. While breastfeeding is considered a traditional and natural practice in India, there are several challenges that women and families may face when trying to establish and maintain successful breastfeeding practices. Some of these challenges include:

• Lack of Knowledge
  • Many mothers and families in India may lack accurate and up-to-date information about the benefits of breastfeeding.
  • Proper breastfeeding techniques, and the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life.
• Early Initiation
  • Delayed initiation of breastfeeding after birth can be common due to cultural practices, hospital routines, and lack of awareness about the importance of immediate skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding.
• Mixed Feeding
  • The practice of introducing formula or other complementary foods at an early age, even before the recommended six months of exclusive breastfeeding, is common in India.
  • This can lead to challenges in establishing and maintaining a sufficient milk supply and can impact the infant’s health.
• Cultural Beliefs
  • Cultural beliefs and practices can influence breastfeeding behaviors. Some communities may hold beliefs that colostrum (the first milk) is “bad” for the baby, leading to missed opportunities for the newborn to receive important nutrients and immune protection.
• Lack of Support
  • Many mothers in India may lack support from family members, especially in urban areas where extended families are becoming less common.
  • Lack of support and encouragement can affect a mother’s confidence in breastfeeding.
• Maternity Leave and Workplace Support
  • Many women in India return to work shortly after giving birth due to limited maternity leave policies.
  • Inadequate workplace support for breastfeeding, such as lack of dedicated spaces for expressing milk, can make it difficult for mothers to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.
• Marketing of Infant Formula
  • Aggressive marketing of infant formula can influence parents’ decisions and undermine breastfeeding efforts, especially when coupled with misinformation.
• Healthcare System
  • Inadequate healthcare practices and a lack of trained healthcare professionals who can provide accurate breastfeeding support and guidance can impact a mother’s breastfeeding journey.
• Socioeconomic Factors
  • Poverty and limited access to healthcare services can affect a mother’s ability to provide optimal nutrition for her child, including breastfeeding.
• Urbanization
  • As more people move to urban areas, traditional practices related to breastfeeding and infant care may be disrupted, leading to a mix of practices that can affect breastfeeding outcomes.

Efforts in India to promote Breast Feeding

Efforts to address these challenges in India include awareness campaigns, community education programs, policy advocacy for supportive maternity leave and workplace policies, training healthcare professionals, and encouraging culturally sensitive approaches.

• Mother’s Absolute Affection (MAA) Programme
  • Launched in 2016, the MAA program aims to promote breastfeeding and support lactating mothers. It includes awareness campaigns, training of healthcare workers to provide breastfeeding counseling, and creating breastfeeding-friendly facilities in public places.
• Promotion of Breastfeeding in Medical Curriculum
  • The government has taken steps to include breastfeeding education in the medical curriculum.
  • Ensuring that healthcare professionals are equipped to provide accurate information and support to mothers.
• Vatsalya – Maatri Amrit Kosh
  • Vatsalya, a National Human Milk Bank and Lactation Counselling Centre has been established in collaboration with the Norwegian government
• Anemia Mukt Bharat
  • Anemia can affect breastfeeding outcomes.
  • This initiative focuses on preventing and controlling anemia, which indirectly supports successful breastfeeding by improving maternal health.
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
  • This maternity benefit program provides financial support to pregnant and lactating mothers for their first live birth.
  • It aims to ensure proper nutrition and care during pregnancy and lactation.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
  • It provides nutritional support, health care, and early childhood education to children and pregnant women.
  • Within ICDS, the Poshan Abhiyaan focuses on addressing malnutrition and promoting optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
  • Financial assistance to pregnant women for accessing quality maternal healthcare services.
  • This indirectly supports breastfeeding by ensuring that mothers receive proper postpartum care and breastfeeding support in healthcare facilities.

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