Health Photos
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World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
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Hospitals to have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff.
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Train all healthcare staff in the skills necessary to implement the breastfeeding policy.
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Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
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Help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth.
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Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their babies.
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Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated. (Photo by Surfer Ananya)
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Practice rooming-in, allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
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Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
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Give no artificial teats or dummies to breastfeeding infants.
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Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
