Breastfeeding promotion refers to coordinated activities and policies to promote health among women, newborns and infants through breastfeeding.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal health and development, followed by complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.[1] However, currently fewer than 40% of infants under six months of age are exclusively breastfed worldwide.[2]
Public health awareness events such as World Breastfeeding Week,[3] as well as training of health professionals and planning,[4] aim to increase this number.
- ^ World Health Organization. Online Q&A: What is the recommended food for children in their very early years? Archived 2014-02-19 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2 August 2011.
- ^ World Health Organization. World Breastfeeding Week: 1-7 August 2011. Accessed 2 August 2011.
- ^ "World Breastfeeding Week". Archived from the original on 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
- ^ European Commission. Protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in Europe: a blueprint for action. Archived 2011-10-18 at the Wayback Machine Luxembourg, 2004.