English 
Francais 
عربي 
Is breastfeeding really so important?
Is breastfeeding really so important? The World Health Organisation and UNICEF recommend that young mothers continue to breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of life. During this period, there should be exclusive breastfeeding, before introducing other foods up to the age of two.
Firstly, breast milk alone is able to provide children with the antibodies they need to protect them against a range of infections until such time as vaccines and the child’s own immunity are able to provide them with protection. Secondly, by providing all the calories and nutrients the infant needs to develop healthily, breast milk reduces the mortality associated with diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
If all infants were exclusively breastfed for this key first six months of life, 3,500 lives could be saved worldwide!
And the protective benefits against disease have been proven by numerous studies. In January 2008, for example, researchers at INSERM (the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research) showed that breastfeeding protects against asthma. An infant fed at the breast is better protected against diarrhoea, ear, nose and throat problems and respiratory infections than those who are not breastfed. One last point: the WHO and UNICEF recommend that babies are put to the breast immediately after birth, ie within the following hour.
Print this article
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Send to a friend
Convert to pdf
Copyright Authorization
153 article(s)
Sleepwalking … more than just being asleep on your feet!
Women’s voices are higher pitched just before ovulation
Reducing fat, salt and sugar – how will our children react?
The menopause need not always be hell…
Ozone pollution – increasing numbers of deaths worldwide
Measles epidemic causes concern …
