- World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1st to 7th August.It aims to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.
- This is organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), in association with WHO and UNICEF.The theme for 2019 is “Empower Parents,Enable Breastfeeding”.
- Breastfeeding is important because (a)It prevents infections like diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections in early infancy and thus reduce infant mortality and (b)It decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- The correct norms of infant and young child feeding are (a)Initiation of Breastfeeding within an hour of birth (b)Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and (c)Continued breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond.
