- It is estimated that in Mexico only one in four children under six months is exclusively breastfed.
- Each year more than five thousand child deaths are recorded due to inadequate practices or deficiencies related to this practice.
- For all the benefits it brings, breast milk is considered the first vaccine a person should receive.
There are daily activities that are highly relevant, although they are often minimized. The Breastfeeding It is one of the most important for all the benefits it brings to both the mother and the baby. Unfortunately, in recent years its practice has decreased to critical levels.
Promote breastfeeding in Mexico
Due to the above, the World Health Organization (WHO) decreed that World Breastfeeding Week takes place from August 1 to 7 of each year. Therefore, through various activities, it seeks to promote this noble action among the population.
As a result of the above, the National Chamber of Milk Industry (CANILEC), together with experts in health and sexual psychology and labor procurement, carried out the space “Breastfeeding in diverse families”. Through this conference, information was shared on the relevance of breastfeeding in the plurality of new Mexican families. In addition, the challenges in the professional and social sector that must be addressed to ensure successful breastfeeding and healthy development for Mexican early childhood were addressed.
Complications faced by working mothers
For her part, Sara Morgan, a specialist consultant in the labor sector, highlighted during her participation focused on the professional and social challenges faced by working women.
“It is extremely important that organizations from different sectors commit to promoting the development of diverse breastfeeding and thereby encourage support for working mothers in line with article 170 of the Federal Labor Law. One of the ways to do it is by further promoting teleworking or the hybrid model, which in an empathetic way will allow a positive balance between diverse organizations and families, specifically in breastfeeding issues.”
In this sense, Mariano Salceda Servín, president of the Board of Directors of CANILEC, pointed out that it is a priority to educate the Mexican population about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding. Therefore, the Chamber has undertaken actions to support it from multiple angles in the last three years, among which the following stand out:
- The online seminar “Living the Sexual Health of a Couple during Breastfeeding in Fullness”, sharing with specialists, the panorama of breastfeeding in Mexico, recommendations for full breastfeeding and how to strengthen the affective-erotic bond in this important stage .
- In the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Chamber carried out a dissemination campaign with national coverage to reinforce the main points on breastfeeding. This action impacted more than 30 thousand health professionals, including general practitioners, pediatricians, gynecologists, nutritionists and neonatologists. During the campaign, educational materials were distributed to reinforce breastfeeding during the pandemic and the key points to know about donating to human milk banks.
- A directory of lactation centers was developed with location, hours, whether they are public or private, and other essential information available for consultation by the general public. This directory is updated with support from multiple sources and is located available on this page.
- Similarly, this year the Chamber is considering an ethics and compliance campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life in order to promote better infant nutrition, as well as this conference on breastfeeding in diverse families, which it will be broadcast to multiple audiences to educate and raise awareness about the issue.
The structure and makeup of families in Mexico is constantly changing and the recognition of this diversity is a first step to respond to the real and particular needs of the different Mexican families, which according to the INEGI are grouped into 11 types, divided into three large groups: traditional, in transition and emerging.