![]() ![]() Breastfeeding rates around the globeĪccording to data collected by UNICEF, South Asian countries have the highest exclusive breastfeeding rates for babies up to five months old at 61 percent.Īt 55 percent, East and Southern Africa have the second-highest breastfeeding rates, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (43 percent), Eastern Europe and Central Asia (42 percent), and West and Central Africa (38 percent). Hareem Sumbul, a certified lactation counsellor in Lahore, Pakistan, said breastfeeding stimulates the production of oxytocin, a “happiness hormone” that helps calm mothers.īut “in case breastfeeding does not go as planned or if there are any hurdles in breastfeeding which cause stress, it can even contribute to kicking off postpartum depression,” she said. “Your body goes through a lot of changes, and you’re adjusting to that because it’s another discomfort that you feel,” she said. ![]() Rachel described it as an immense mental and emotional challenge as well as a physical one. “Obviously, you feel a huge amount of pressure and guilt too if you don’t know if your baby is feeding.” “It’s definitely one of the toughest parts of the whole experience of pregnancy, birth, labour,” she said. Rachel, a 31-year-old mother from London, England, told Al Jazeera that breastfeeding has been “a challenging experience”. “He would have learned to suckle – that helps with developing the jaw muscles,” Zahra said. ![]() Still, it was a stressful one because she believed that breastfeeding would have been more beneficial. ![]() “Scheduled pumping was necessary to make sure milk supply didn’t dry up, but at the same time, being at work, I had limited options for storing milk and ensuring the baby had enough,” she said.Īt five months, Zahra shifted her baby over to formula – a move that she saw as her only choice. The isolation weighed heavily on her mental health. Unable to go out as before, Shah’s social interactions were gradually cut off. Pumping was done at least five to eight times a day depending on how many times he had to be fed,” she said. “I had to pump milk out with a breast pump and feed him. But things quickly became complicated when everything Shah did had to be managed around her son’s feeding – from working to even running simple errands. Shah was reliant on pumping to feed her child. I asked lactation counselors for help, but no matter what, nothing helped,” she said. “My son didn’t latch no matter how hard I tried. Zahra Shah is a 35-year-old mother from Toronto, Canada, who had a difficult time breastfeeding her infant. (Al Jazeera) Common problems breastfeeding mothers faceīreastfeeding, however, is not always an option. As the pregnancy comes to term, a woman’s body begins to produce the first breast milk, called colostrum, in the initial days after birth.Ĭolostrum is known as “liquid gold” because of its colour and its benefits to newborns: It is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and antibodies that are essential to the growth and protection of a newborn.Īccording to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breastfeeding has several health benefits for babies and mothers and can help protect them from illnesses.įor babies, breastfeeding can reduce the risk of:įor mothers, breastfeeding can lower the risk of: The production of milk by the mammary glands is stimulated by hormones. The remaining 2 percent is comprised of proteins and other bioactive components, which cannot be found in formula. It also consists of about 7 percent carbohydrates – mostly lactose, a sugar that provides the baby with energy – and 4 percent fats. Why is breast milk important?īreast milk is packed with essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals and antibodies uniquely adapted to a baby’s needs.īreast milk is made up of 87 percent water and keeps infants hydrated, manages their body temperature, lubricates joints and protects organs. In the following infographic series, Al Jazeera looks at why breast milk is important and where breastfeeding is most prevalent. The United Nations-backed event highlights the importance of breastfeeding in tackling malnutrition and understanding inequality and the challenges mothers face around the world.Īccording to UNICEF, 48 percent of all newborns globally are exclusively breastfed during the first five months of their lives.ĭespite the numerous health benefits for both babies and mothers, breastfeeding is not always an option. World Breastfeeding Week is marked every year from August 1 to 7. ![]()
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