Breastfeeding is, in fact, such a natural physiological process
that we tend to believe that this practice could easily be adopted as a choice
rather than a necessity. Since
ancient times, mothers have perceived breastfeeding as a necessity; however,
due to industrialization and other social influences, breastfeeding was casted
aside. As
soon as they were given the choice between breastfeeding and boxed milk, they
preferred to choose ease rather than necessity. Today, the emphasis is now
given on measures aimed at supporting and promoting breastfeeding, so that they
are strengthened even more so that moms realize that there is no true
substitute for breast milk.
In the past, support in a traditional way was provided by older
women in the family and in the community, especially during the first 40 days
after delivery. However,
as societies evolve, especially with urbanization, more and more nuclear
families emerged to the point that other members of the family may be far away. In addition, the pressure to
return back to work is also steadily increasing. These are some of the
factors that are responsible for the disappearance of this period of maternal care
to infants. The
theme which had been chosen this year for the World Breastfeeding Week is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal
for Life”. Due
to the fact that with the decline in breastfeeding rates, the need to continue
to promote breastfeeding as an essential part of child development and maternal
health is being felt more than ever.
