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According to a new report, nearly 60% of babies in the world are not breastfed within the first hour of birth, putting them at risk of illness and even death.
WHO) and Unicef recommend that babies be breastfed less than an hour after birth and fed only at breast level until the age of six months.
Breastfeeding offers mothers and babies many benefits. It reduces the risk of breast cancer in women, while the first breast milk contains nutrients and antibodies, which is important to protect the child from diseases. It is also linked to a lower risk of future obesity in children, while skin-to-skin contact allows the infant to come in contact with the mother's microbes that help develop their system Immunity
The report points out that delays in breastfeeding can put babies at risk. "When breastfeeding is delayed after birth, the consequences can be life-threatening – and the more newborns are waiting, the greater the risk," write the authors. "Improving breastfeeding practices could save the lives of more than 800,000 children under the age of five every year, the vast majority of whom are under six months old."
The team behind the report points to previous research that showed a delay in breastfeeding. Babies breastfed between two and 23 hours after birth are 30% more likely to die in the first 28 days than those who are breastfed within the first hour after birth
. the first time at 24 hours after birth had twice the risk of breastfeeding deaths within their first hour.
The report, based on Unicef data from 76 countries, does not include figures for North America, Australia and New Zealand or Western Europe, found that in 2017 about 78 million babies were not breastfed in the first hour after birth.
He also notes that the proportion of babies breastfed immediately after birth varies considerably from one country to another: in the countries of eastern and southern Africa, nearly two-thirds of babies are put within within the first hour, against a little less than a third in East Asia and the Pacific.
Although the report recognizes that some women can not breastfeed, he says most women can do so if they receive the appropriate support.
In 2015, National Perinatal Reporting System recorded that 58% of babies in the Republic of Ireland were receiving breast milk on leaving the hospital. The HSE reported that 35% of babies received breast milk at three months. At the same time, the Northern Ireland Infant Health System reported that 46% of babies received breast milk on discharge from the hospital, and 21% of babies received breast milk at three times. month
. Many factors underlie babies breastfeeding shortly after birth. They say that babies born by caesarean section are less likely to be breastfed within their first hour, and that skilled birth health care providers need better training so that they can be better. they encourage and support breastfeeding. The authors also claim that cultural practices of feeding the baby with honey or other foods may delay breastfeeding.
The report also outlines a number of recommendations to encourage breastfeeding, including encouraging community networks to promote breastfeeding. "Initiating breastfeeding in the first hour of life is no easy task: mothers can not be expected to do it alone," write the authors. "The proper care of the newborn and the mother in the moments following birth are essential to ensure that breastfeeding begins and continues successfully."
– Guardian
Read: About Breastfeeding
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