Breastfeeding has several benefits for both the mother and child. It is considered one of the most effective ways to ensure the child’s health and survival.

To raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding, the month of August is declared as the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This is pursuant to Republic Act No. 10028 otherwise known as the “Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009”.

The Department of Health (DOH) spearheads the month-long celebration with the theme “Tulong-tulong sa Pagpapasuso sa First 1000 Days!”. This Year’s celebration emphasizes the importance of collaboration of the government, partners, communities, and families in protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding. The celebration further promotes breastfeeding as a highly beneficial public health intervention for mothers and children on the first 1000 days.

Also, the celebration commemorates the 10 years of the Breastfeeding TSEk! (Tama, Sapat, at Eksklusibo/Correct, Enough and Exclusive) campaign of the DOH. This campaign aims to encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies in the first 6 months of life, as well as educate them about proper breastfeeding and its benefits. Likewise, it advocates for adequate support from family members, employers, health care providers and the community to enable exclusive breastfeeding.

Globally, experts and mothers agree that breastmilk is the best for babies in the first 1000 days of life. However, there are still many mothers who do not practice exclusive breastfeeding. Based on the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey, only 35.9% exclusively breastfeed until 5.9 months old. But on the brighter side, the proportion of exclusively breastfed infants, less than 6 months old, increased from 48.8% in 2015 to 57.9% in 2019.

To sustain the gains even with the pandemic, this year’s celebration further aims to increase community awareness and support on the following:

• Unang Yakap or Early Essential Newborn Care Protocol. A simple cost-effective intervention that will improve neonatal and maternal care. This protocol involved four (4) steps: (1) Immediate and thorough drying; (2) Skin-to-skin contact; (3) Proper cord clamping and cutting; and (4) Non-separation of the mother and child and breastfeeding initiation within the first hour after giving birth.
• Breastmilk as the first and sole food for newborns aged 0-6 months old and continued breastfeeding complemented with safe, nutritious, adequate and diverse foods from 6 months onwards.
• Coronavirus disease (COVID) vaccines are safe for mid- to late-term pregnant women and breastfeeding/lactating women.

In support to the 2021 National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 10 maximized the social media platforms for continuous information dissemination. Aside from hanging of tarpaulin and posting of social media materials at NNC X Facebook Page, the NNC X invites the local government units to be breastfeeding digital advocates through the NorMin’s TikTok Challenge: Breastfeeding TSEk! Contest.

Malnutrition remains a threat, especially to the vulnerable population such as pregnant women, and children. According to the World Health Organization, 45% of deaths among children under 5 years old are related to undernutrition.

To end the vicious cycle of malnutrition, all must take action and protect our future generation by safeguarding the health and nutrition in the first 1000 days of life. Thus, let us all share the responsibility to empower and enable women to breastfeed and create increasing demand for more protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and proper infant and young child feeding practices. (NO II Arlie Joy O. Damiles)

References:

Department of Health. (2021). Department Circular No. 2021-0297. Observance of August 2021 as National Breastfeeding Awareness Month with the theme “Tulong-tulong sa Pagpapasuso sa First 1000 Days!”

Guzman, J. (2021, 4 August). Philippine Information Agency. August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Retrieved from: https://pia.gov.ph/features/2021/08/04/august-is-breastfeeding-awareness-month

Victora C. G. et al., Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet 2016; 387: 475–90