3 in 5 babies not breastfed in first hour of life

Breastfeeding within an hour of birth is critical for saving newborn lives  6 August 2018 – A new report by UNICEF and WHO reveals that an estimated 78 million babies – or 3 in 5 – are not breastfed within the first hour of life, putting them at higher risk of death and disease and making them less likely to continue breastfeeding. Most of these babies are born in low- and middle-income countries.  The report notes that newborns who breastfeed in the first hour of life are significantly more likely to survive. Even a delay of a few hours after birth could result in life-threatening consequences. Skin-to-skin contact along with suckling at the breast stimulate the mother’s production of breastmilk, including colostrum, also called the baby’s ‘first vaccine’, which is extremely rich in nutrients and antibodies.  In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the practice of breastfeeding in the first hour of life, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, and continued breastfeeding for 2 years is low, which impacts child growth and survival and is associated with high rates of stunting, wasting, overweight and death in children under 5. Improving these practices, promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding through the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative,1  as well as literacy and birth spacing, can help improve survival of children and mothers in the Region. Hence the support of early, exclusive and continued breastfeeding into the first and se...
Source: WHO EMRO News - Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news