Today starts the World Breastfeeding Week (SMLM), whose motto for this year is 'Support for breastfeeding mothers: close, continuous and timely!' This highlights the advice of 'peers', that is, breastfeeding groups that - through volunteer mothers and volunteer advisors - can replace the role of women of the extended family in traditional societies.
I think it is very important to disseminate this information, to reflect where support should come to mothers who want to breastfeed their babies, and also as a social recognition to the thousands of mothers who support them with their presence, their advice and their experiences.
Even though mothers have a good start in their experience of breastfeeding, many times, weeks or a few months after birth, they stop breastfeeding and lower breastfeeding rates. When mothers do not frequent health centers, it is a key moment for the community support system to work
Objectives of the World Breastfeeding Week (SMLM)
Create awareness on the importance of Peer Counseling to support moms to start and maintain breastfeeding.
Inform the public on the high benefits of Peer Counseling and joining efforts to extend these programs.
Boost those who support breastfeeding - whatever your profession - to take a step forward and train in support of mothers and their babies.
Identify community support to which mothers who breastfeed can go.
Appeal to governments and health centers to complete the 10 Steps for Successful Breastfeeding, in particular Step 10 to improve the duration and rates of exclusive breastfeeding.
Circles of support for breastfeeding
The five circles of breastfeeding support they illustrate the support to the decision of the mothers to breastfeed and the fact that they have a positive experience. They are vital for mothers: the family and the social support network, the health system, work organization, governments and legislation, and responses to crises or emergencies; They all surround the mothers.
The mothers are in the center
Women are the center because the presence or absence of support directly impacts them. On the other hand they also play a central role to ensure support and to provide it to other people.
Transfer from here my recognition to all breastfeeding support groups, advisors and counselors, and congratulations on the great work they do, for the benefit of other mothers whom - a priori - do not know. I have belonged to one of these groups, which, if it is an informal experience, has become a super organized collective, which has nothing to envy to health professionals. I attest that the support of another woman can be more beneficial than 100 expert advice.
