Breastfeeding is important for both infant health and maternal well-being, as it offers a multitude of benefits, including essential nutrients, antibodies, and hormones that support healthy growth and development, while also offering protection against various illnesses.
World Breastfeeding Week, which ran from August 1 to 7, is commemorated in the first week of August every year. This year’s commemorations were held under the theme, Prioritise Breastfeeding. Create Sustainable Support systems.
Cimas Health Group’s doctor, Tatenda Matavire, said the week is a health promotion strategy that promotes environments that help women breastfeed with adequate protections in government policies and laws, as well as share information on breastfeeding benefits and strategies.
“World Breastfeeding Week is organised by the World Alliance Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and is supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), ministries of health, and other civil society partners,” Dr Matavire noted.
“World Breastfeeding Week commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration signed by WHO and UNICEF. This declaration aims to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, emphasising an infant’s right to nutritious food and a mother’s right to breastfeed.”
She continued: “It was started in 1992 to generate public awareness and promote and support breastfeeding, and currently has over 120 countries that participate in it to inform people about their role in creating supportive and sustainable environments for breastfeeding.”
“It also helps promote breastfeeding support as a vital component to create a sustainable environment and pushes engagement between individuals and organisations to enhance collaboration and support for breastfeeding.”
Dr Matavire said this year’s theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2025 is Prioritise Breastfeeding. Create Sustainable Support systems.
“The theme connects to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as breastfeeding plays a pertinent role in furthering Sustainable Development Goal 2 and 3, which include ending hunger, improving nutrition and promoting health and wellbeing,” she noted.
“Breastfeeding is one of the critical pathways to reduce under-five mortality. But overall, breastfeeding ties in to all the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Dr Matavire said there are several types of support systems that are considered sustainable for breastfeeding.
“Health systems that offer skilled, sustained breastfeeding support from pregnancy through early childhood, together with policies, laws and programmes that prioritise women, babies and breastfeeding, are some of the support systems,” she stated.
“Community solidarity to uphold every woman and baby’s right to breastfeed anytime, anywhere also plays a pivotal role in supporting breastfeeding.”
Dr Matavire highlighted that community involvement was crucial to this year’s World Breastfeeding Week’s theme because it directly impacts the success of breastfeeding initiatives by creating a supportive environment for mothers.
“When communities actively participate, they normalise breastfeeding, reduce stigma and provide essential practical and emotional support, ultimately contributing to better maternal and infant health outcome,” she said.
Commenting on the health benefits of breastfeeding for babies, Dr Matavire said breastfeeding protects child health and improves survival.
“Breastfeeding provides essential nutrition and boosts cognitive development. It reduces the risk of postpartum haemorrhage, breast and ovarian cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It also helps with birth spacing,” she noted.
“Emotionally, breastfeeding helps mothers form strong bonds with their babies as they breastfeed. Breast milk also provides critical antibodies that protect against many common illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and infections.”
Dr Matavire added. “Nutrients that are found in breast milk that support infant development include different types of protein, fat, lactose (a carbohydrate), vitamin A, B12, C, D, E, K, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.”
She pointed out that breastfeeding can considerably help reduce healthcare costs globally in several ways.
“Breastfeeding can significantly reduce healthcare costs globally by lowering the incidence of various illnesses in infants and mothers, thus decreasing the need for medical treatment and hospitalisations,” she said.
“Breastfeeding can lead to substantial savings in direct medical costs such as medication and hospital fees, as well as indirect costs that may include lost wages for parents caring for sick children.”
Dr Matavire explained that mothers face a variety of challenges when breastfeeding. These include physical discomfort such as sore nipples and engorgement, concerns about milk supply, exhaustion, blocked milk ducts and latching difficulties.
“Some mothers may also experience emotional challenges such as feelings of sadness or depression and struggle with social pressures or the need to balance breastfeeding with work and other commitments, dealing with judgement, embarrassment or discomfort from breastfeeding in public,” she noted.
Dr Matavire said to overcome some of these challenges, workplaces can ensure adequate paid maternity leave for breastfeeding mothers and paid time off for breastfeeding or providing breastmilk after returning to work.
“Employers can also offer paid paternity and parental leave and leave to care for sick young children. They can also provide workplace breastfeeding rooms. These can promote a breastfeeding environment and culture within the company,” she said.
Dr Matavire went on to say, ‘The Warm Chain of Support’ in breastfeeding advocacy refers to a continuous, coordinated system of support for breastfeeding mothers, encompassing various individuals and settings throughout the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
She added that breastfeeding should be promoted all year round, and individuals and communities should play their part.
“Offer practical help by assisting breastfeeding mothers with tasks such as meal preparation, childcare for older children, or simply offering a listening ear. Be a breastfeeding advocate by encouraging workplaces and public spaces to implement breastfeeding-friendly policies such as designated lactation spaces and flexible break times.
“Share your breastfeeding story. You may, for example, use social media to share personal experiences, photos or information about the benefits of breastfeeding. Thank a breastfeeding mother. Acknowledge and appreciate the dedication of breastfeeding mothers in your community.”
Dr Matavire continued. “Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival. Mothers and families need to be supported for their children to be optimally breastfed. Let us prioritise women, babies and breastfeeding and uphold every woman and baby’s right to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.”