Babies still need to eat even when formula is hard to come by.
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Many families in the US encountered empty shelves when they went in search of infant formula during COVID-19.
Whether they breastfeed or use formula, food insecure mothers are struggling to feed their babies.
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With the high cost of infant formula, food-insecure mothers who cannot breastfeed are struggling to feed their babies.
Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months makes more difference to a baby’s health and survival than any other intervention.
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Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding has increased across all countries but few are likely to meet the 2030 goal of 70%.
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South Africa needs to ensure regulations on formula foods for babies are enforced.
Kenyan women march towards a restaurant after a female client was allegedly thrown out for breastfeeding and not covering up.
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Provision of breastfeeding support and information within the community can lead to a significant increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates.
A lot is still uncertain about breastfeeding practices in South Africa.
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Breastfeeding support programmes need to engage more with the challenges that mothers face.
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Health workers promote exclusive breastfeeding to HIV positive mothers more than they do to mothers who are negative.
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South African health authorities educate the public about breastfeeding but without supportive legislation and strong communication, it will never be normalised.
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The bacteria in a mother’s breast milk are important because it helps develop a baby’s gut. Research shows this bacteria are different depending on where mothers live and what they eat.
Employers should provide an enabling environment at work for women to continue breastfeeding their infants.
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Only 28% of working women across the globe are fully protected by maternity laws that provide for time off work with full pay.
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Several indigenous child-rearing practices have helped babies develop strong immune systems to ward off allergies. These should be actively promoted.
The successful prevention of mother to child transmission programmes means nearly all HIV-infected pregnant women should get anti-retroviral treatment to protect their babies.
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South Africa’s programmes preventing HIV transmission from mothers to children have been hugely successful. But there are still gaps that need to be filled.
Kenya’s nutrition plan has resulted in dramatic improvements in its nutrition targets.
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Over the last three years Kenya has seen marked improvements in its nutrition-related targets as a result of a national nutrition plan it has implemented.