All interventionsBreastfeeding has many health benefits for both the mother and infant. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. Breastfeeding protects against diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, and may also have longer-term health benefits, such as reducing the risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence..
To reduce infant mortality and ill health, WHO recommends that mothers begin breastfeeding their infants within one hour of birth. Infants should also be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health, with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond. In support of these recommendations, breastfeeding must be protected, supported and promoted in facilities providing maternal and newborn services. This includes:
- establishing and maintaining breastfeeding policies that cover all established standards of practice *, which are fully implemented and publicly and regularly communicated to staff;
- training of health workers to further develop relevant skills, ensure consistent messages and support implementation of policy standards according to their roles; and
- planning and coordination of discharge from the facility, such that parents and their children have access to continuing and consistent breastfeeding support after leaving the facility.
* Standards of practice are described in the WHO document, Standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities, and include ensuring that women receive emotional support, are taken care of in facilities that are safe and adequately equipped, and that every woman and newborn receives routine, evidence-based care and management of complications during labour, childbirth and the early postnatal period, according to WHO guidelines.