Devex: Opinion: Breastfeeding for economic growth and prosperity
Toyin Ojora Saraki, founder and president of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa

“…World Breastfeeding Week presents an opportunity to showcase the evidence, unveil misconceptions, and discuss recommendations on the practice of breastfeeding around the world. The positive effects of breastfeeding can be seen from birth to age, starting in the first hour of life. … Sadly, the potential of breastfeeding remains starkly unfulfilled. … Exclusive breastfeeding is commonly hailed as a rare natural safety net that can largely offset the impact that poverty has on health outcomes — breastfeeding has the power to dramatically improve overall well-being and labor force productivity even in the lowest-resource settings. It is of this logic that breastfeeding becomes of critical importance in the developing world, which suffers both poor health outcomes and weak economic growth. … The very fact that this simple and wholly natural technique of child care can impact individual, community, and nation is incentive for immediate action…” (8/1).