World Breastfeeding Week History: It is advisable to breastfeed the baby from birth to 2 years.

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year in the first week of August. The purpose of this week-long event is to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and talk about the growth and development of the newborn. This week is celebrated globally and works on by choosing a specific theme. This year's theme is 'Let's Make Breastfeeding and Work, Work'. This theme is related to working women breastfeeding their children and balancing work life. This year, the effort is to make women more aware, motivated and helped so that they can do their work smoothly along with breastfeeding.

World Breastfeeding Week: 5 things a mother should include in her diet if there is a shortage of milk for the baby

Importance of World Breastfeeding Week

In 1991, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action was formed to promote the importance of breastfeeding. A year later, World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated.

Photo Credit: iStock

The importance of celebrating World Breastfeeding Week is to clearly highlight the need for breastfeeding after birth. Mother's milk is the baby's first food and it keeps the baby safe from many diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children who are breastfed perform better on intelligence tests are less likely to develop diabetes and obesity. At the same time, the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer has been seen less in mothers who breastfeed the child. Who says that the baby should start breastfeeding only one hour after birth and the baby should be fed well for the next 6 months.

Explaining the benefits of breastfeeding, Dr. Neeraj Arora, Senior Consultant Pediatrics and Neonatologist, Manipal Hospital, Patiala, says, "Breastfeeding has long-term benefits on both mother and child. It is nature's way of developing and nurturing him. Mother's milk contains all the necessary nutrients, antibodies and enzymes that strengthen the child's immunity and keep him away from infections and diseases.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides general information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Featured Video Of The Day

Another criminal case against Trump, accused of conspiracy to overturn election results