World Breastfeeding Week 2023: Theme, WHO Campaign, Key Messages and Facts

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: World Breastfeeding Week is observed annually from August 1 to August 7. The day is celebrated in a total of 120 countries. It is a joint collaboration of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), the World Health Organisation and UNICEF which aims to emphasize breastfeeding for the first six months of a newborn. 

#WorldBreastfeedingWeek starts today!

Women shouldn’t require superpowers to juggle breastfeeding and work.

All moms everywhere, no matter their work or contract type, should have:
🧸 At least 18 weeks, preferably 6 months or more, of paid maternity leave
🧸 Paid time off for… pic.twitter.com/nyUAQhLrzQ

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 31, 2023

It’s #WorldBreastfeedingWeek!

Breastfeeding, started within the first hour of birth, gives babies the best and only nutrition they need in their first six months of life, helping to prevent illnesses and boosting their brain development. pic.twitter.com/l60ghIYZRp

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) August 1, 2023

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: Theme

WABA observed the first World Breastfeeding Week in 1992 which later got popular in over 120 countries by UNICEF and WHO. All three organizations aimed to aware people of the goodness of breastfeeding for children and mothers. And to reach their goal, WHO and UNICEF began WBW in August 1990 with an aim to protect and support breastfeeding. 

And the theme to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2023 is ‘Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!’ with the official hashtag #WorldBreastfeedingWeek

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: WHO Campaign

World Health Organisation advocates for improved practices to curb workplace-related breastfeeding issues and disparity. Along with the help and support of UNICEF and Ministry of Health and civil society partners, the organisation aims to provide support to lactating women irrespective of boundaries, level and organisation. 

As per the official website of WHO, “This year’s theme will focus on breastfeeding and work, providing a strategic opportunity to advocate for essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding – maternity leave for a minimum of 18 weeks, ideally more than 6 months, and workplace accommodations after this point. These are urgent issues for ensuring women can breastfeed as long as they wish to do so: more than half a billion working women are not given basic maternity provisions; many more find themselves unsupported when they go back to work.”

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: Key Messages

The key messages by WHO for World Breastfeeding Week 2023 are:

• Women shouldn’t have to choose between breastfeeding their children and their jobs. Breastfeeding support is possible regardless of workplace, sector, or contract type.
• Legislating at least 18 weeks, preferably more than 6 months, of paid maternity leave
• Ensuring employers provide paid time off and a dedicated space for breastfeeding or expressing milk after this period
• Ensuring all women have access to maternity entitlements, including those in the informal sector or on limited contracts
• Tackling employment-related discrimination against women, including during and after pregnancy and birth.
• All women everywhere – no matter their work - should have
• At least 18 weeks, preferably more than 6 months, paid maternity leave;
• Paid time off for breastfeeding or expressing milk upon returning to work;
• Flexible return to work options.

Some interesting facts about Breastfeeding Week

• A female body is ready to feed the baby just after the child is born.
• Colostrum, the first thick and yellow milk is a superfood for infants.
• Oxytocin, a hormone released during breastfeeding helps both the mother and child to reduce stress and connect emotionally.
• Breastfeeding helps in the growth of healthy gut bacteria which later helps in a healthy immune system for life.
• The antibodies in breast milk help babies fight seasonal infections.
• A nursing woman burns between 500-600 calories a day.
• Breast milk can be of different colours including yellow, blue, green, pink and orange.
• Lactating mother is less prone to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease, stroke and postpartum depression type-2 disease.

So, World Breastfeeding Week is an event to emphasise the value of breast milk. Also, the day advocated improving the health of babies and promoting, protecting and supporting the right of women to breastfeed with a second thought.

Important Days and Dates in August 2023