Why it is in news?
- Basic nutrition:World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) is celebrated every year to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.
More about Breastfeeding
- It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and other organisations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding, says WHO, is the best way to provide infants with the nutrients they need, which recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is six months old.
- Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond.
- This year, WHO is working with UNICEF and partners to promote the importance of helping mothers breastfeed their babies within that crucial first hour of life.
Source
The Hindu