World Breastfeeding Week was started in 1992 by WABA and celebrated in 1st week of August from 1 August to 7 August every year. this week highlights the importance of nursing a baby to ensure that babies and mothers get proper nutrition. This week we empower new mothers and educate their families regarding breastfeeding. this week is celebrated by spreading awareness and giving a good start to a new little soul
This week aims to eliminate malnutrition in babies by promoting breastfeeding .breast milk is a super food for infants that provides them with necessary elements like antibodies and enzymes that protect the little one from illness and infection
World Breastfeeding Week
Breastfeeding is a mother’s gift to herself, her baby, and the earth. The first thing that a baby takes after getting a life is to breastfeed. yes, they can be fed through bottles but bottles can only fill their stomachs, and breastfeeding fills their souls.
mother’s milk is one of the finest and healthy milk for an infant. it is produced in an adequate quantity which is required for newborn babies. a woman is incomplete without her baby, she shares a strong and incomparable bond with her baby. we assure you that there is no other milk available on the market that is better than mother’s milk.
Aim of breastfeeding week
- This week supports mothers to promote breastfeeding by spreading awareness regarding how this is beneficial for mothers and their babies
- This week apart from other practices health institutions focus on educating and training health care practitioners about how they can provide support to new mothers and their infant’s ineffective way
- Through this communities call on the government to take initiatives for the protection and promotion of breastfeeding
- Give deeper knowledge to communities to promote breastfeeding
Benefits of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a crucial task for mothers. it is not only beneficial for little babies but it is equally important for mothers too. here are some advantages of breastfeeding for understanding why it is important for “jachha and bachha”. here we go:
For infants –
Boost baby’s immune system
Mother milk contains antibodies that help protect the babies from various infections and diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infections ear infections, etc
Crucial for brain development
Researchers have proven that breastfeeding helps in brain functioning and brain development which can lower the risk of neurodevelopment disorders
Importance for cognitive function
Breastfeeding can improve the memory of small babies their language skills and their problem-solving abilities too
Optimal nutrition for healthy growth
breast milk is the perfect combination of various nutrients like proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. these are so beneficial for the healthy growth and development of babies.
For mothers
Postpartum recovery
breastfeeding promotes healing in the mother’s body. it helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size which reduces the risk of postpartum hemorrhage
Reduce the risk of diseases
it is proven by many researchers that breastfeeding lowers the risk of many serious diseases like type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and many more.
Reduce the risk of obesity
it helps in burning calories and promotes weight loss therefore breastfeeding can lower the risk of obesity in mothers
Emotional benefit
Due to Breastfeeding mother and child share a unique bond and experience unconditional love. it also helps in reducing stress and anxiety
Breastfeeding tips for new mothers
- Breast milk acts as a liquid gold for babies if we want healthy growth of our babies then it is necessary to feed the baby with mother’s milk for at least the first 6 months.
- Our babies can’t speak verbally but they always give signs to communicate with others so pay attention to the signals of your babies like sucking, rooting, etc when we observe these signals remember they are conveying the message to you that they are hungry and its time to feed them
- Always make sure that your nipples and breasts are clean and dry to avoid irritation and infections. if there’s any dryness then you can use nipple cream or breast balm for smoothing them.
- There are lots of positions in which we can feed our babies like football holds, cradle holds, and many others. find one for yourself where you and your baby are most comfortable.
- You should drink at least 8 glasses of water or juices in a day to produce milk and stay energetic for taking care of your little ones.
- Keep your baby with yourself most of the time this can help you respond quickly to the needs of your baby and also promote bonding with little ones.
Positions of Breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Week Theme Ideas
There are many more ideas to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week but we are sharing one from them. let’s have a look at this.
Monday
we can celebrate this day as a Mother’s Milk Monday. On this day we can highlight the importance of mother’s milk and its benefits for babies and share our views on how this is essential for both mothers and babies.
Tuesday
this can be celebrated as a training Tuesday. in this day we can do more focus on educating lactation consultants and other healthcare practitioners to support breastfeeding mothers. we can also teach mothers about different holds for babies.
Wednesday
for Wednesday we can plan a women’s Wednesday. here we point out that women to make them aware that they can make their own decisions related to breastfeeding choices and their reproductive health.
Thursday
from Thursday we can remember it as a throwback Thursday. Let’s go with trends and share our personal experiences and stories as a breastfeeding mother. As we all are from different cultures and generations. so this day can be more joyful for us. this day can give us joy, laughter, and tears, and drive us into lots of emotions.
Friday
why should mothers have all the lessons? if a baby made someone a new mother then he also made someone a father. so let us celebrate it as a Father’s Friday. let’s teach fathers also how can they contribute to a baby’s growth and development. and appreciate their role as fathers and a partner which they played during pregnancy period.
Saturday
we can recognize this day as a scale-up Saturday. On this day we can encourage government, organizations, and related communities to scale up their efforts for mothers and their babies and for also supporting breastfeeding and improving lactation facilities.
Sunday
let us make Sunday a self-care Sunday. we can teach mothers that during breastfeeding they have to prioritize self-care if they are not well then they can’t handle their babies properly and they should seek help when needed.
let’s wind up
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated to spread awareness regarding breastfeeding, its benefits, and for good health of mothers and their babies. we all should learn from this week so that we can never put any lady and their babies in a difficult situation related to breastfeeding.
we post many health-related blogs on this website so keep in touch with us to read more health-related blogs. you can see our other blogs by clicking here. you can also check the WHO website for more info . stay tuned and stay healthy.