Making the best of breast feeding

The practice of breast feeding has declined throughout the world, at first in the developed countries and now also in the developing countries. Although there is some return to breast feeding in industrialized countries, it is mostly by the privileged and better educated women. This article discusses the importance of breast feeding: protection of children from infection and allergy; increase of the interval between births; inadequate safeguards to the marketing of breast milk substitutes, particularly in developing countries. The factors which contribute to successful breast feeding are reviewed: self confidence and good emotional and social support; unscheduled and frequent feeding; education and promotion of the benefits of breast feeding, at national and local level, with health workers and lay organizations working together.