Abstract
Breastfeeding has often been described as cost free. 1 Rippeyoung PL Noonan MC Is breastfeeding truly cost free? Income consequences of breastfeeding for women. Am Sociol Rev. 2012; 77: 244-267 Crossref Scopus (63) Google Scholar It is not free. Breastfeeding requires investment to overcome the sociopolitical barriers that exist in many countries 2 WHOUNICEFGlobal strategy for infant and young child feeding. World Health Organization, Geneva2003 Google Scholar , 3 Pérez-Escamilla R Curry L Minhas D Taylor L Bradley E Scaling up of breastfeeding promotion programs in low-and middle-income countries: the “breastfeeding gear” model. Adv Nutr. 2012; 3: 790-800 Crossref PubMed Scopus (156) Google Scholar through the effective approaches and practices described in the second paper of the Lancet Breastfeeding Series. 4 Rollins NC Bhandari N Hajeebhoy N et al. on behalf of The Lancet Breastfeeding Series GroupWhy invest, and what it will take to improve breastfeeding practices?. Lancet. 2016; 387: 491-504 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1075) Google Scholar As shown in the first Series paper, infants, children, and mothers who do not breastfeed experience an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. 5 Victora CG Bahl R Barros AJD et al. for The Lancet Breastfeeding Series GroupBreastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet. 2016; 387: 475-490 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3313) Google Scholar Breastfeeding is nutritionally, immunologically, neurologically, endocrinologically, economically and ecologically superior to breastmilk substitutes (BMS), and does not require quality control of manufacture, transport, storage, and feeding mechanisms. 4 Rollins NC Bhandari N Hajeebhoy N et al. on behalf of The Lancet Breastfeeding Series GroupWhy invest, and what it will take to improve breastfeeding practices?. Lancet. 2016; 387: 491-504 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1075) Google Scholar , 5 Victora CG Bahl R Barros AJD et al. for The Lancet Breastfeeding Series GroupBreastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet. 2016; 387: 475-490 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3313) Google Scholar Breastfeeding: achieving the new normalBreastmilk makes the world healthier, smarter, and more equal: these are the conclusions of a new Lancet Series on breastfeeding. The deaths of 823 000 children and 20 000 mothers each year could be averted through universal breastfeeding, along with economic savings of US$300 billion. The Series confirms the benefits of breastfeeding in fewer infections, increased intelligence, probable protection against overweight and diabetes, and cancer prevention for mothers. The Series represents the most in-depth analysis done so far into the health and economic benefits that breastfeeding can produce. Full-Text PDF Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effectThe importance of breastfeeding in low-income and middle-income countries is well recognised, but less consensus exists about its importance in high-income countries. In low-income and middle-income countries, only 37% of children younger than 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed. With few exceptions, breastfeeding duration is shorter in high-income countries than in those that are resource-poor. Our meta-analyses indicate protection against child infections and malocclusion, increases in intelligence, and probable reductions in overweight and diabetes. Full-Text PDF Why invest, and what it will take to improve breastfeeding practices?Despite its established benefits, breastfeeding is no longer a norm in many communities. Multifactorial determinants of breastfeeding need supportive measures at many levels, from legal and policy directives to social attitudes and values, women's work and employment conditions, and health-care services to enable women to breastfeed. When relevant interventions are delivered adequately, breastfeeding practices are responsive and can improve rapidly. The best outcomes are achieved when interventions are implemented concurrently through several channels. Full-Text PDF
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