Breastfeeding gives babies the healthiest start to life, acting as their first vaccine. Packed with antibodies, stem cells, and other unique properties, breastmilk builds immunity and protects against infections, SIDS, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of childhood obesity and benefits maternal health by lowering the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, and depression. Leading health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least 24 months to maximize health benefits for both mom and baby.

Babies get the best start at life when they drink nothing but breastmilk until they are 6 months old, and continue breastfeeding until they are 2 years old while also consuming other nutritious complementary foods. Even though breastfeeding is the best way to protect newborns from malnutrition, infections, and disease, only 41% of babies around the world are exclusively breastfed. Many mothers who would like to breastfeed cannot access the support and information they need to be successful. One-to-one and group breastfeeding counseling helps provide mothers with the support they need to reach their breastfeeding goals.

Despite its numerous benefits, many mothers lack the support needed to successfully breastfeed. Advocacy efforts focus on providing the right support, advice, and encouragement to mothers, along with skilled assistance to resolve any breastfeeding issues. By promoting breastfeeding-friendly policies and creating supportive environments, we can ensure more mothers and babies reap the extraordinary health benefits of breastfeeding. Through collective action, we can improve health outcomes and save lives, as breastfeeding has the potential to save over 820,000 young children and 20,000 women annually.