Breastfeeding is widely recognized as the best start to life for all infants and one of the most effective, and cost effective, investments nations can make for the future health of their community. The World Health Organisations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.
Enabling women to breastfeed is key to the sustainable development goals as it improves nutrition, ensures food security, and reduces inequalities between and within countries. Lack of breastfeeding is an important issue with health, social, and economic implications. Infants who do not receive breast milk are more likely to experience infections and poorer health outcomes than breastfed infants. In addition, there are also health implications for mothers who do not breastfeed.
Equally important is the transition to complementary feeding after 6 months of age. Providing infants with diets rich in bioavailable micronutrients reduces the risk of growth faltering and nutritional deficiencies.
This Research Topic welcomes high quality multi-disciplinary contributions from authors conducting research in any income setting, including original research and perspective articles. TOpics can include but are not limited to:
• Factors which impact women’s ability to breastfeed their children including identifying associations between social, economic, and cultural factors and breastfeeding practices.
• The protective health effects of breastfeeding.
• The role of breastfeeding in addressing the double burden of malnutrition.
• Methodological issues around the measurement of breastfeeding and complementary feeding indicators.
• Interventions which increase initiation, exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding including access to Baby Friendly Hospitals, counselling and maternity protections in the workplace.
• Innovative policy, law and advocacy to support and promote breastfeeding and position it in discourses such as food security, food systems, sustainable development and economic impacts of not breastfeeding.
• Innovative practices such as wetnursing and milk banks.
• Dietary approaches to enhance micronutrient bioavailability from complementary diets.
Important Note: The editors of this Research Topic strongly support the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code). Therefore articles funded by companies which produce goods covered by the Code, or by bodies whose membership include such companies, or written by authors employed by such companies or bodies, will not be considered for inclusion in this Research Topic.
Breastfeeding is widely recognized as the best start to life for all infants and one of the most effective, and cost effective, investments nations can make for the future health of their community. The World Health Organisations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.
Enabling women to breastfeed is key to the sustainable development goals as it improves nutrition, ensures food security, and reduces inequalities between and within countries. Lack of breastfeeding is an important issue with health, social, and economic implications. Infants who do not receive breast milk are more likely to experience infections and poorer health outcomes than breastfed infants. In addition, there are also health implications for mothers who do not breastfeed.
Equally important is the transition to complementary feeding after 6 months of age. Providing infants with diets rich in bioavailable micronutrients reduces the risk of growth faltering and nutritional deficiencies.
This Research Topic welcomes high quality multi-disciplinary contributions from authors conducting research in any income setting, including original research and perspective articles. TOpics can include but are not limited to:
• Factors which impact women’s ability to breastfeed their children including identifying associations between social, economic, and cultural factors and breastfeeding practices.
• The protective health effects of breastfeeding.
• The role of breastfeeding in addressing the double burden of malnutrition.
• Methodological issues around the measurement of breastfeeding and complementary feeding indicators.
• Interventions which increase initiation, exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding including access to Baby Friendly Hospitals, counselling and maternity protections in the workplace.
• Innovative policy, law and advocacy to support and promote breastfeeding and position it in discourses such as food security, food systems, sustainable development and economic impacts of not breastfeeding.
• Innovative practices such as wetnursing and milk banks.
• Dietary approaches to enhance micronutrient bioavailability from complementary diets.
Important Note: The editors of this Research Topic strongly support the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code). Therefore articles funded by companies which produce goods covered by the Code, or by bodies whose membership include such companies, or written by authors employed by such companies or bodies, will not be considered for inclusion in this Research Topic.