This is the start of World Breastfeeding Week 2020, which runs from the 1^st to the 7^th August. WBW is a global campaign to raise awareness and galvanise action on themes related to breastfeeding and commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration. Since 2016, WBW has been aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

This year the theme is Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet. #WBW2020 and #GreenFeeding

Breastfeeding can be hard in the early weeks under normal circumstances, adjusting to meeting the needs of a vulnerable human being, including urgent frequent feeding, and the tiredness that results from being on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If feeding is painful it feels even harder. That is why having skilled breastfeeding support readily available, for any mother that needs it, is so important. Breastfeeding usually becomes much easier and more enjoyable as the weeks pass, especially if worries about painful feeds or milk supply or difficulties due to causes like tongue-tie are resolved, and is helped by babies tending to have more spaced and shorter feeds.

This year Covid-19 lockdown has been an added complication, particularly for new families as they have minimal face-to-face contacts.

What have the challenges and highlights been for you? You can share your experiences using the Leave a Reply box below.

Author: Patricia Wise