World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to support breastfeeding. The Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare holds a “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet” campaign, which includes photo sharing and a lucky draw. Having breastfed for 9 months, Hope Lin (the Supermodel of Taiwan) supports breastfeeding and becomes the first participant to share her breastfeeding selfie and has nominated friends to do the same thing. To win the prize, each participant has to share her breastfeeding selfie and experience, hashtag “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet” and tag 5 friends on their Facebook page, and then upload the screenshot of your Facebook page to the campaign website before September 15, 2020.

Breastmilk is natural, safe, and waste-free: Let Earth achieve sustainable development 
    The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet!”. Breastfeeding is more sustainable and ecological than formula feeding. According to statistics, 720,450 tonnes of milk formula sold annually in 6 Asian countries generated almost 2.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. This is equivalent to nearly 11.27 billion kilometers driven by an average passenger vehicle (9.39 million circles around Taiwan) or 1.03 million tonnes of waste sent to landfill sites (waste produced by Taipei citizens in 471 days). Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. Breastfeeding is vital to the healthy growth and development of infants. Moreover, it can also improve the health of our planet earth.

Family support is a key to successful breastfeeding 
    According to foreign studies, if partners support breastfeeding, it can ensure the success of exclusive breastfeeding and continuous breastfeeding. This makes it obvious that partners play an important role in breastfeeding. The statistics of 2018 Taiwan National Breastfeeding Survey showed that the top three support during breastfeeding are “family members spiritual support (recognition, encouragement)”, “family members help take care of the baby” and “someone teach me how to breastfeed”. 
    At World Breastfeeding Week, another breastfeeding family including Ms. Lee, her husband and three lovely daughters attended this campaign and shared her breastfeeding experience. Ms. Lee’s youngest daughter has been breast-fed for 7 months. What impressed them the most was that they did not have to buy milk formula. When going out they directly breastfed which is very convenient and did not have to carry milk bottles and milk formula. Ms. Lee said “The breastfeeding process is very difficult, especially toughest for the first child. Fortunately, my husband helps massage me and feed the baby. When our third child was born, my husband takes care of our 2 older children, so that I can concentrate on breastfeeding. I am lucky to have my husband’s support for breastfeeding”. The Health Promotion Administration appeals to families to protect their child and in addition to support mother’s to breastfeed, calls on people to work together to support breastfeeding for a healthier planet.