Breastfeeding is the foundation of infant and young child health and survival. By virtue of Republic Act No. 10028 also known as Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act signed on March 16, 2010, the entire month of August is declared as Breastfeeding Awareness Month to highlight the importance of public awareness in promoting and supporting breastfeeding as the normal and preferred method of feeding infants and young children.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Breastfeeding T.S.Ek. (Tama, Sapat at Eksklusibo): I-BIDA ang pagpapasuso tungo sa wais at malusog na pamayanan”. It significantly aims to emphasize the importance of breastfeeding amidst COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that Filipino infants will have proper and sufficient nutrition to fight against the disease and lessen the long-term effects of malnutrition.
According to the joint media release of the Department of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to date, COVID-19 has not been detected in the breastmilk of any mother with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
Breast milk contains all the necessary nutrients for growth and development. It is safe, clean and babies who receive their mothers’ breastmilk acquire antibodies which will provide protection against infection and helps in the prevention of non-communicable diseases later in life.
Moreover, DOH recommends to all breastfeeding mothers with suspected and/or confirmed COVID-19 to continue breastfeeding, following all necessary safety precautions like proper wearing of masks, frequent and proper hand washing before and after contact with the child, practice physical distancing by keeping a one (1)-meter distance from others while breastfeeding. It is also advised to always check correct information about breastfeeding for rightful education.
The National Nutrition Council Region XII supports this year’s theme through hanging of streamers, posting of breastfeeding advocacies on social media, inform the LGUs and other stakeholders on the importance of breastfeeding. NNC XII also continues to call all mothers to breastfeed infants up to six months and continue breastfeeding with safe, nourishing, and diverse complementary food at six months up to 2 years and beyond.
Breastfeeding should be natural to all mothers but it requires encouragement and support from family members, health care providers, policy makers and others especially now wherein coronavirus disease has taken a toll worldwide. Together, let’s increase our investment in breastfeeding towards a wiser and healthier community!
