🔷🔹 Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns. Initiating breastfeeding within the first hour of birth—known as “early initiation of breastfeeding”—provides the infant with colostrum, the first milk, which acts as their first vaccine and stimulates the production of sufficient milk for future feedings. Breastfeeding enhances sensory and cognitive development and is an unparalleled way to provide the ideal nutrition for the healthy growth and development of infants. Furthermore, it is an integral part of the reproductive process with significant positive outcomes for maternal health.
🔷🔹 Breast milk is safe, clean, and contains antibodies that protect infants against many common childhood illnesses, including respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and other potentially life-threatening conditions. It also offers a protective effect against obesity and certain non-communicable diseases later in life, serving as the first and most critical step toward a healthy beginning and a promising future for children.