Benefits of Breastfeeding for Babies and Mothers Everywhere
UNICEF and partners offer nursing mothers around the world the support they need to help their babies thrive.
Breast milk is safe, nutritious and accessible — but breastfeeding is not always easy. Why UNICEF works so hard to protect, promote and support breastfeeding
Helping mothers breastfeed helps ensure their babies get the best start in life.
The benefits of breastfeeding can support babies’ health, nutrition and development from the earliest days. And breastfeeding becomes even more crucial in humanitarian crises, when displacement, limited access to clean water, inadequate sanitation and disrupted basic services can put babies at greater risk.
Read about how breastfeeding keeps babies alive in emergencies
UNICEF works with partners around the world to help raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and to make sure mothers are getting the support they need to be successful.
Breastfeeding is a sound investment in baby's future health and well-being — and mom's
Breastfeeding can help newborns fight off infection; often called "baby's first vaccine," breast milk also offers protection from many childhood illnesses and bolsters brain development.
As mothers breastfeed, they share elements of their immune systems with their babies, leaving them less vulnerable to disease. Infants who breastfeed are less likely to develop allergies. In environments with poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water, breastfeeding also protects children from waterborne illness.
In fact, promoting breastfeeding as a best practice and providing breastfeeding mothers with sustained support is considered crucial for reducing child mortality from preventable and treatable causes like diarrhea and respiratory infections. Babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first six months, without any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illness and bouts of diarrhea. They also have fewer hospitalizations and trips to the doctor.
Breastfeeding also provides emotional benefits. It reduces stress for nursing mothers, and breastfed babies are calmer and cry less overall.
Learn about how UNICEF supports maternal health
Read about five courageous mothers protecting and caring for their children in difficult circumstances
Less than half of all babies under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed
Only 48 percent of infants under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed, due to overlapping challenges for new mothers, health workers and across health systems. Millions of mothers around the world do not receive timely and skilled support in a health care setting when they need it most.
Breastfeeding statistics show why stronger breastfeeding support is essential for mothers, babies and health systems
Only one-fifth of countries include infant and young child feeding training for doctors and nurses who care for new mothers. This means the majority of the world’s mothers leave hospitals without proper guidance on how to breastfeed their babies and when to introduce complementary feeding.
A World Bank analysis cited by UNICEF shows that in low- and middle-income countries, every dollar invested in breastfeeding support generates a $35 economic return. Yet many country health systems are too often under-resourced, fragmented or poorly equipped to deliver quality, consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding support.
UNICEF calls on country governments and health administrators to prioritize exclusive breastfeeding and invest more in breastfeeding support services.
This means:
- increasing national budget allocations for breastfeeding programs
- integrating breastfeeding counseling and support into routine maternal and child health services, including antenatal, delivery and postnatal care
- ensuring all health service providers are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to support breastfeeding, including in emergency and humanitarian settings
- strengthening community health systems to provide every new mother with ongoing, accessible breastfeeding support for up to age 2 and beyond
- protecting breastfeeding by ensuring that the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes is applied in all health facilities and systems
UNICEF: Strengthening health systems to support breastfeeding is a moral and economic imperative
Supporting mothers beyond World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1–7) is an annual moment to raise awareness about breastfeeding and the need for stronger support systems for mothers, babies and families all year long.
Through efforts such as the Global Breastfeeding Collective, UNICEF works with partners to protect, promote and support breastfeeding worldwide — helping more mothers access trusted guidance and more babies get the healthiest possible start in life.
UNICEF's advocacy campaign around World Breastfeeding Week 2026 is a global call for stronger, sustained support for what works to improve breastfeeding rates.
UNICEF promotes breastfeeding and supports breastfeeding mothers worldwide
UNICEF has long worked with global, national and local partners to communicate the benefits of breastfeeding and to help connect women to support services. This includes counseling from lactation consultants, nutrition specialists and health care professionals or peer support providers.
While connecting with mothers to discuss the benefits of breastfeeding, UNICEF-trained partners and health care workers can also convey the importance of child immunization and early childhood education.
UNICEF supports parents and caregivers with a number of resources to support healthy growth and development. Explore UNICEF USA's parenting resources to learn more.
Learn more about UNICEF health and nutrition programs for children
Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding
What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding helps provide babies with a safe, nutritious first food and supports their health, growth and development. It can also help protect babies from illness, especially during the earliest months of life.
Why do mothers need breastfeeding support?
Breastfeeding is natural, but it is not always easy. Timely support from trained health workers, counselors, peer support providers and community health systems encourages new mothers to start and continue breastfeeding.
Why is breastfeeding important during emergencies?
During emergencies, breastfeeding can help keep babies nourished and protected when families may be displaced or have limited access to clean water, adequate sanitation, health care or other basic services. UNICEF works with partners to support mothers and babies during crises.
