Optimal breastfeeding is one of the most powerful solutions we have to save the lives of infants and children. It’s the first food system, delivering an ideal and personalized mix of nutrients to infants, while also reducing mothers’ risks of certain types of cancers and other chronic diseases. Breastfeeding also goes well beyond just nourishment, and provides comfort and reassurance between baby and mother, resulting in improved cognitive and physical development.
To achieve WHO’s Global Nutrition Target of increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life to at least 50 percent by 2025, we must all commit to protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding. For World Breastfeeding Week 2023, we continued to elevate breastfeeding resources and information across communities and shared the importance of strengthening health systems to include the delivery of critical health and nutrition services, including skilled breastfeeding counseling:
- Read about USAID Advancing Nutrition’s support to breastfeeding mothers in the Kyrgyz Republic.
- Check out USAID’s Breastfeeding Fact Sheet, available in English, French, and Spanish.
- Learn more about or work to improve breastfeeding counseling through mentorship in Kenya and how we’re helping to build political will and accountability for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in Malawi and the Kyrgyz Republic.
- Read our recently published article on building the competency of health professionals in the Kyrgyz Republic for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
- Watch the USAID Breastfeeding video “Providing a Healthy Start for a Healthy Future”.
- Subscribe to our email list for more breastfeeding and USAID Advancing Nutrition content.
- Follow @NutritionForDev on X (formerly known as Twitter) for breastfeeding-related messages throughout the month of August.
- Connect with us on LinkedIn to see more breastfeeding and nutrition content.
Check out our interactive webpage to learn more about how USAID continues to promote and protect breastfeeding, and about USAID Advancing Nutrition’s breastfeeding work.