Giving Children the Breast Start in Life

World Breastfeeding Week: 1-7 August 2009

Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), Save the Children Australia today reminded Australians of the importance of breastfeeding and called for more community support for breastfeeding mothers.

"It is a well known fact that, where possible, breastfeeding is the ideal way of providing babies with the nutrients they require for healthy growth and development," said Suzanne Dvorak, CEO of Save the Children Australia. "Breast milk contains all the nutrition a baby needs for the first six months of life and provides resistance to illness and infection."

"Given breastfeeding provides the foundation for a child's future health, one would expect it to be well accepted in society.

"Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case as some people and workplaces remain unsympathetic towards breastfeeding in public. Women deserve to feel completely comfortable to breastfeed at any time and place in public for the sake of our children's health."

The National Health Survey, Breastfeeding in Australia, found that about 83 per cent of babies were being breastfed upon discharge from hospital, yet this quickly declined with age. By six months of age, less than half of all children were breastfed.

The barriers to successful breastfeeding include community attitudes and perceptions about breastfeeding, workplace policies, lack of partner or family support, inconsistent health care provider information and legislative gaps.

Specifically, paid parental leave, which comes into effect in Australia in 2011, should be extended from 18 weeks to 26 weeks to give women the opportunity to breastfeed exclusively for six months.

"During World Breastfeeding Week, the State and Federal Governments, workplaces and the community need to help overcome these barriers and ensure mothers are fully supported in their decision to breastfeed," said Ms Dvorak.

World Breastfeeding Week was first celebrated in 1992 and today involves more than 120 countries and is endorsed by UNICEF, WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

About Save the Children: Save the Children is the world's largest independent child rights development organisation, making a difference to children's lives in more than 100 countries. From emergency relief to long-term development, Save the Children secures a child's right to health, education and protection. Save the Children Australia manages and implements programs in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and supports development programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America through the International Save the Children Alliance. For more information or to donate, visit www.savethechildren.org.au.