Breast milk protects against many diseases | How breast milk shields babies from disease

Breastfeeding is recommended as the primary source of nutrition for infants during the first 6 months of life, followed by appropriate complementary foods until the age of 2. This practice is endorsed to prevent various health issues, including diarrhea, pneumonia, otitis media, allergic diseases, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, cancer, allergies, asthma, and obesity that may develop later in life.

Melek Kılıç, President of the TEMAS Breastfeeding and Breast Milk Volunteers Association, emphasized the significance of breastfeeding for the optimal growth and development of infants. She highlighted that scientific studies have shown breastfeeding's protective effects against diseases and its contribution to a child's overall well-being.

Kılıç pointed out that breastfeeding offers substantial benefits not only to the baby but also to the mother, the country, and the family economy. She underlined that breastfed infants are less prone to various health issues, which include diabetes, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, hypertension, cancer, allergies, asthma, overweight, obesity, dental problems, and certain mental health conditions. Additionally, children who are breastfed tend to have higher academic success.

Despite the many advantages of breastfeeding, Kılıç noted that a significant number of newborns worldwide do not receive breast milk within the first hour of life, depriving them of essential nutrients, antibodies, and the close contact with their mother that provides protection against diseases and mortality risk. Delaying breastfeeding initiation can increase the risk of death among newborns.

According to UNICEF data, babies who have never been breastfed face a sevenfold higher risk of dying from any infection compared to those who are breastfed at least some of the time during the first six months after birth. Babies who are never breastfed face a 14-fold higher probability of death compared to exclusively breastfed babies. Breastfeeding alone can reduce childhood deaths by 13%, and when combined with proper complementary feeding practices, it can decrease the risk by approximately 20%.

World Health Organization (WHO) data reveals that nutritional deficiencies are responsible for 7% of deaths in children under the age of 5 and are a contributing factor in nearly half of these deaths. WHO emphasizes that increasing breastfeeding rates among women could save more than 800,000 lives annually.

Kılıç stressed that the crucial first step to ensure optimal growth and development for infants and to prevent nutritional deficiencies is immediate skin-to-skin contact between the mother and baby after birth. It is recommended that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months and continue breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods until the age of 2.

As part of the "Leading Women Project," initiated by TEMAS Association to raise public awareness across the country, particularly in earthquake-affected regions, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in these areas receive counseling and support. The project aims to address the unique challenges faced by mothers in earthquake-prone regions, providing free breastfeeding consultancy and support through expert child health and maternal health consultants.

TEMAS Association also operates active social media accounts and offers online support to mothers, serving thousands of mothers and babies through their mother support application and mother support online panel.