October 25, 2022MUM MYSELF & I

10 facts you didn't know about breastfeeding around the world

How do people breastfeed in Tokyo or Southern Africa? Which country is the world champion of lactation? How do governments encourage breastfeeding among working mothers? A brief look at some surprising facts about breastfeeding around the world.

Naturally, we think that there's nothing simpler than breastfeeding. One baby, one breast, and that's it! And yet... while nature has endowed all women in the world with the ability to breastfeed, the practice is far from universal.

It is estimated that only 40% of babies worldwide are breastfed. This is due to beliefs, traditions, the mother's occupation, and her social status, all of which influence breastfeeding choices from one culture to another.

1. In Japan, breastfeeding takes place discreetly in breastfeeding booths.

"Cover that breast that I cannot bear to see!" said Molière. Well, the mood remains broadly the same 4 centuries later and almost 10,000 kilometers away.

It's true that the inventiveness of the Land of the Rising Sun is well-established: we were already familiar with women-only subway cars and bras that allow dads to breastfeed. Now, here come breastfeeding cabins.

Although modesty is highly valued in Japanese culture, breastfeeding is strongly encouraged. Moreover, while Japan has the lowest birth rate in the world (1.36 children per woman), breastfeeding mothers are by no means neglected.

In some cities, public spaces include " jyunyuu-shitsu, " designated breastfeeding areas for women and their children. These are equipped areas strictly off-limits to men. They allow mothers to feed their babies in peace and quiet. And for the ultimate in comfort, those who prefer more privacy can even opt for a private changing room.

2. In Mongolia, breast milk is consumed… at any age

While in our culture the concept might raise some eyebrows (sorry if you're about to eat), there are places on earth where they have understood the potential of breast milk .

In Mongolia, milk is considered so healthy that even adults occasionally drink it. Mongolians love it; it's almost reminiscent of Obelix's love for the magic potion.

Mothers often reserve some of their milk for the rest of the family. It is also common to use breast milk for therapeutic purposes, particularly among the elderly. This is also the case in China, where convalescents consume it to regain their strength.

Unsurprisingly, sometimes practices go awry. And this one was no exception! The Japanese capital recently saw the opening of the world's first breast milk bar. How cool is that, one might think ! You can drink milk by the glass or directly from the breast... WHAT?! Alas, its location in the heart of Tokyo's red-light district and its exclusively male clientele leave no doubt as to its erotic rather than therapeutic purpose.

3. In Muslim culture, Tahnîk is practiced.

To whet your appetite, you should know that many Muslim families practice Tahnîk. This tradition involves applying the pulp of a date to the palate of a newborn baby with a finger before their first feeding.

If you don't have dates on hand, any sweet food will do. The goal is to prepare the baby's stomach to receive breast milk.

Recently, the benefits of this practice were proven by researchers at the University of Auckland in Australia, through their study, The Sugar Babies Study . The experiment was conducted in a maternity ward, with a sample of infants and using dextrose gel.

Their conclusion? The method could reduce hypoglycemia in babies. "Dextrose gel should become a first-line treatment for managing hypoglycemia in late premature infants and full-term babies within 48 hours of birth," the report states. A practice to adopt without delay!

4. In Indonesia, working mothers have their milk delivered by courier.

In the era of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, Indonesian babies also have their own food delivery service.

It's well known that the duration of breastfeeding too often depends on the length of maternity leave. Babies are frequently weaned after a few months, when mothers have to return to work. Yet, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, followed by alternating breastfeeding with other foods until at least 2 years of age.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature has made it difficult, if not impossible, to express enough milk each morning to meet our offspring's daily needs. So, what can we do?

The Indonesian company Arga Nirwana Express has found THE perfect solution for working mothers : breast milk delivery. Pure genius! Since 2005, couriers have been going to mothers' workplaces to collect freshly expressed milk, then delivering it to the nannies, keeping it perfectly chilled .

This initiative is possible because in Indonesia, companies are required to provide a breastfeeding room. This allows women to bottle-feed their precious milk between meetings.

5. In India, babies are not breastfed until after one month.

Colostrum is a yellowish fluid, similar to buttermilk, that comes from the nipples after childbirth. In several Asian countries, including India, it is common to believe that colostrum is impure, even toxic. This false belief is nevertheless deeply rooted in Indian culture. And that's a real shame because colostrum is extremely nutritious for the infant, as it is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and anti-infective agents. In short, it contains everything the baby needs.

But in Hinduism, it is not given to babies. They are fed infant formula for the first few days of their lives, until their milk comes in and they can eventually be breastfed.

This does not, however, reflect a lack of interest among Indian women in breastfeeding. Indeed, while only 35% of infants in India are breastfed at 48 hours, over 94% are breastfed at 1 month. Impressive!

6. In the USA, breastfeeding in public has only been legal since 2018.

It sounds like a bad joke, but it's not... It really took until 2018 to finally avoid the risk of being arrested while breastfeeding a toddler in public in certain American states. No joke!

In July 2018, after a long legal battle, Idaho and Utah finally passed laws legalizing breastfeeding in public. #Hallelujah These were the last two of the 50 North American states to consider the practice illegal.

Whether or not it's related to this decision, the number of breastfed babies in the United States continues to grow. In 2018, 84% of them were breastfed – compared to 77% in Belgium and 70% in France.

7. Among the !Kung San of South Africa, breastfeeding takes place up to 100 times a day.

And now, admit that like us, you're doing the math: 100 times a day divided by 24 hours = ?

Among the cultural variations in breastfeeding practices, there is also the frequency of feedings. In southern Africa, the !Kung San of the Kalahari Desert are an indigenous people who can be described as modern hunter-gatherers.

Within this community, newborns and toddlers are breastfed (very) frequently and intensively. In fact, there's an average feeding every 15 minutes (that's 4 times an hour if you've done the math). And this continues at least until the child is 2 years old. In short, it's simple: the mothers spend all their time with their little ones, who are perpetually held in their arms or those of another member of the community.

Even more surprisingly, the children are never placed on the ground because the Kung believe that this is detrimental to their development.

African woman breastfeeding her child.

If your back and chest ache just reading these lines, keep in mind that the !Kung way of life is very different from that of our modern society. Mothers receive a great deal of help and are never alone. The African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child," takes on its full meaning here.

8. In Bangladesh, breastfeeding is supported in the workplace.

The Mothers@Work program was launched in 2017 by UNICEF and Better Work Bangladesh (BWB). It is a national initiative that aims to protect mothers and ensure their children receive the essential nutrients for their healthy development.

This initiative has been rolled out in 92 partner factories, which have committed to providing mothers with a fully equipped breastfeeding room and childcare facilities. Mothers also benefit from two additional 30-minute breaks per day to spend more time with their babies.

Does all this already sound like a dream? Well, that's not all! A medical team is also available on site to advise mothers on maternal care and raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding .

Unsurprisingly, Mothers@Work benefits working women, their babies, and also employers, since a happy mother is a more productive employee.

So feel free to forward this article to your bosses... #you'rewelcome

9. The Philippines holds the world record for simultaneous breastfeeding.

The Guinness Book of Records states that in 2007, more than 15,200 women simultaneously breastfed their babies across the Philippines. This is a world record that, unless we are mistaken, still stands.

While the challenge may seem amusing, the motivation is noble: public authorities wish to promote breastfeeding at the expense of formula milk.

Indeed, the Philippines is known for its unparalleled support of breastfeeding mothers. Thanks to the Milk Code , the country has prohibited all marketing related to infant formula (advertising, distribution of samples, discounts, and other forms of promotion) for 25 years. Violators even risk imprisonment.

A model student, the country also strengthened its support for new mothers in 2009 with a law requiring public establishments to offer breastfeeding stations equipped with comfortable seating, sinks, electrical outlets for breast pumps, and refrigerators. The bare minimum, it seems to us!

10. In Brazil, donations are made to the world's largest milk bank

The suspense is over! The world champions of breastfeeding are indeed Brazilian women. It is estimated that nearly 95% of babies there are breastfed.

However, 11% of births in the country are premature. The favelas , home to the poorest social classes, are the most affected by this phenomenon.

Faced with poverty and the urgent need for breast milk, thousands of mothers donate each year to the world's largest breast milk bank: the Fernandes Figueira Institute. While the institute receives funding from the Ministry of Health, its work relies primarily on the solidarity of mothers. These true heroines sometimes express up to two liters of milk per week, in addition to what they feed their own children.

The firefighters generously handle the transfer of the milk to the bank. Since breast milk acts as a medicine for these newborns, it is estimated that these donations help save 170,000 premature babies each year.

In conclusion, and despite cultural differences, the world seems convinced that breastfeeding is healthy! We are seeing initiatives emerging on every continent, all with the common goal of increasing the number of breastfed babies. This is encouraging because if the practice becomes widespread, it could save more than 800,000 newborns each year.

Carole Bertrand, for Milk Away

#milkawayapparel #inmumwetrust #breasfeeding #breastfeedingmom #breastfeedingjourney 

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Illustration photo credit: Unsplash - Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz

Written by Aurelie Jeanquart