Mammals are the animals where the mothers feed their young with milk produced by their bodies. Each species produces milk that is best for its own young. Cow milk is best for calves; human milk is best for human babies.
The theme of the 2024 National Breastfeeding Month is “Nourish, Sustain, Thrive.” Within this dedicated month, the first week (August 1-7) is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). WBW aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The WBW theme for 2024 is “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”
Breastfeeding is a natural process, but it needs support and encouragement. The March of Dimes encourages all new mothers to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding their infants, and stresses the importance of supportive employer and national health policies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. Then for the next 6 months or longer, breastfeeding should continue while appropriate other foods are introduced.
There are equity gaps in percentages of new mothers who breastfeed their babies. Black mothers are less likely to breastfeed than are other races. Implicit bias, structural bias, and systemic racism must be addressed in order to improve existing disparities in human milk feeding.
All babies deserve the healthiest start in life that they will get from consuming human-produced milk.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got a Comment?