It is this Sunday that the day of the Great Tétée will be held. An opportunity to educate mothers and promote breastfeeding.
The day of the Great Suckle will be held this Sunday, October 9. Organized in nearly forty cities in France, this day, which precedes the World Breastfeeding Week, is an opportunity to recall the benefits of a practice that has stagnated for several years in France.
1 in 4 children breastfed at 6 months
According to the EPIFANE 2012 study, the breastfeeding rate in France was 68% in 2008 and 67.9% in 2010. This same study shows that the proportion of babies fed with breast milk after 3 months drops to 39% (including 10% exclusively) and that only one in four children is still breastfed at the age of 6 months.
Figures significantly lower than our European neighbors like Italy, where two thirds of children are breastfed at 6 months. In the United Kingdom, breastfeeding at 6 months is doing a little better than in France, with a rate of 43%.
Breastfeeding: protective virtues against chronic and infectious diseases
Should we throw stones at the French women? Certainly not. Fatigue, pain or having a professional activity are all reasons that contribute to this low rate of breastfeeding. However, breastfeeding has real benefits. According to World Health Organization (WHO), which advocates exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, this practice promotes sensory and cognitive development in infants, and protects them from infectious and chronic diseases such as diabetes, ear infections or pneumonia. Another significant argument: its ecological value. In addition, several studies have shown that breastfeeding contributes to the well-being of mothers, and in particular reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Breastfeeding can sometimes raise questions for young mothers, and the objective of the Grande Tétée is, according to its organizers, “to provide concrete support, provide reliable information and change the image of the breastfeeding”. Like every year, a photo will be taken at 11 a.m. sharp in all the participating cities.
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