World Breastfeeding Week is a worldwide celebration held annually from August 1^st through 7^th to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. The first week of August commemorates the 1990 signing of the Innocenti Declaration, created by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

The theme for this year, “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet,” explains the link between breastfeeding and each of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals aim to end poverty, ensure prosperity and protect the environment. Surprisingly, breastfeeding makes a direct contribution to each of these goals.

Here are some interesting facts about how breastfeeding can protect both the environment and the health of the world’s children:

• Breast milk is a natural renewable resource that requires no packaging, fuel or disposal.
• Breastfeeding ensures food security for infants and helps prevent hunger, malnutrition and obesity.
• Breastfeeding reduces poverty and financial stress for families. Breast milk is completely free!
• Breastfeeding conserves water. Human milk is composed of 90% water and provides all the fluids a baby needs to stay hydrated.
• Breastfeeding reduces the use of natural resources and the amount of waste in landfills.

Here is a collection of some of our most popular breastfeeding articles:

• The surprising benefits of breastfeeding
• How to produce more breastmilk
• 10 tips for new breastfeeding moms
• Breastfeeding your newborn
• When breastfeeding doesn’t go according to plan

To learn more about World Breastfeeding Week, please visit: worldbreastfeedingweek.org.