Not breastfeeding leads to more than half a million child deaths annually and costs the world economy up to US$1 billion a day.

Breastfeeding is one of the best buys in global health to improve social, health, and economic development outcomes. Globally, improving breastfeeding practices could save more than 820,000 lives annually—87 percent of them infants under six months of age.

Despite globally accepted knowledge on the benefits of breastfeeding and the contribution of maternity entitlements to increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding, there has been little research on how maternity or paternity leave is practiced in Nigeria, the labour force’s level of compliance, o

A map of Centers of Excellence for Breastfeeding facilities in Viet Nam (updated in September 2023).

Grandmothers play an important role as caregivers and as advisers to young mothers on infant feeding. Some have called them “guardians of tradition.” This tradition can at times conflict with new ideas, but need not be a barrier.