The Republic of Moldova, together with 175 states, during August 1-7 is celebrating the World Breastfeeding Week that this year has the theme “Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life”, IPN reports.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, the focus this year is on the prevention of all forms of malnutrition and overweightness and associated diseases. There is evidence showing that optimal breastfeeding has beneficial effects on the mother, contributing to lowering the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and hypertension, and on the child, reducing the incidence of respiratory diseases, otitis and caries and increasing the level of intelligence.

As the first 1,000 days are decisive for the development of a child, the World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend the initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and continuation of breastfeeding until the child’s age of two, by appropriately introducing solid food. In connection with the launch of the World Breastfeeding Week, Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection Svetlana Cebotari said society needs healthy children and healthy generations as these are the country’s future.

The events that form part of the World Breastfeeding Week started with an informative session about breastfeeding and the benefits for children and mothers, which was unorganized by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection in cooperation with the project “Mamica Alapteaza” (“Breastfeeding Mother”), the Mother and Child Institute, the World Health Organization and UNICEF. A recreational place in Chisinau became friendly to breastfeeding with the inauguration of a special area where mothers are provided with a nursing pillow. There was also staged a photo session to photograph breastfeeding mothers of different ages so as to promote and support breastfeeding regardless of the place and daily activities. Mothers, children, fathers and grandparents will take part in the Breastfeeding March 2018 so as to together promote breastfeeding as a universal solution that offers a correct start in in life.

According to statistics, in 2017 in Moldova about 89.5% of the newborns were breastfed up to the age of three months, 82.4% up the age of six months and 71% up the age of one year.