• About   |
  • Write For Us   |
  • Contact Us   |
  • हिंदी
Friday, July 1, 2022
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
The Second Angle
NEWSLETTER
  • Opinion
  • TSA Analysis
  • Explainers
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • People
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Technology
  • World
The Second Angle
  • Opinion
  • TSA Analysis
  • Explainers
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • People
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Technology
  • World
Home Featured

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week

Breastfeeding traditions find a place in every culture known to woman. It has a rich and varied history going back millennia.

Khushi Maheshwari by Khushi Maheshwari
August 2, 2021 - Updated on December 25, 2021
in Featured, Culture
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week

Her View From Home

Share on FacebookShare on WhatsApp
  • History And Significance Of Breastfeeding

In prehistoric times breastfeeding was the priority of new mothers until later in infancy. During the ancient period, Goddesses of motherhood and fertility were sculpted with bare breasts in order to mark the crucial nature of breastfeeding, and at the same time, wet nurses came into the picture. These were women who would breastfeed and tend to the needs of babies that were not biologically theirs. Wet nurses were appointed in cases where the mother died post-childbirth or was unable to feed her baby by herself (or in some cases chose not to feed her baby).

In Ancient Egypt, breastfeeding was the first priority of mothers until infants reached six months of age, and then, cow’s milk was given to children as is followed in some Indian cultures as well. In Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Greece, breastfeeding was of high value and one can find numerous references in mythology like depicted in numerous sculptures or statues of goddesses like Hera, Gaea, and Demeter breastfeeding their children.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
India

Artemis of Ephesus, the protector of childbirth and the puerperium, was depicted as having multiple breasts in dozens of copies of the original statue. In Islam, breastfeeding was fundamentally religious in nature and it was advised for women to breastfeed for up to two years in the holy Qu’ran and declared that every newborn infant had the right to breastfeed.

It described the need for continuity between the intrauterine environment, in which food was transferred from the mother’s blood through the placenta, and the extra-uterine environment, in which the infant is fed with breast milk. So after birth, the infant remained attached and dependent on its mother for food for 24months. In case the mother was unable to breastfeed, the parents could mutually and carefully appoint a wet nurse.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
Times of India

Some women in the Byzantine and Indian culture believed colostrum (which is a major component in breast milk) to be harmful to their baby and substituted it for honey or cow’s milk in the initial months. However, in India the ancient scriptures Vedas prescribed breastfeeding till the eruption of teeth (or teething) in babies; this usually happened after a period of 6 months. The scriptures also compare breast milk to the sweetness of nectar and state that breasts and milk symbolize longevity.

With the commencement of the 19th century, substitutes of breast milk were introduced and artificial feeding ultimately became the first choice for mothers. It was revealed that formula milk was much more nutritious for the baby after chemical analyses at the outset of this century and by the 20th century most women had opted for formula milk.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
Babyology

As a result, an outbreak of necrotizing enterocolitis occurred with an increase in infant mortality rate. Women avoided breastfeeding after the over-sexualization of breasts and felt ashamed of breastfeeding in public. Lately, however, with growing awareness, a strong much-needed movement for normalizing breastfeeding in public has emerged once again and mothers have begun to stick with breastfeeding their children in lieu of artificial feeding.

  • Benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby

Breast milk and the act of breastfeeding have multiple benefits for both mother and child:

  1. Contrary to popular belief, the colostrum (a thick yellow fluid) present in breast milk is high in protein, low in sugar, and filled with nutritious compounds like immunoglobulin beneficial for the baby. It helps the baby’s digestive tract to develop.
  2. Breast milk contains antibodies that help fight viruses and various kinds of infections like ear infections, respiratory tract infections, common cold, etc., even beyond infancy.
  3. Breastfeeding promotes a healthy weight and prevents the onset of childhood obesity.

    Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
    Science News
  4. The act of breastfeeding is highly advantageous for mothers as well; it helps them lose post-pregnancy fat.
  5. During breastfeeding, the hormone oxytocin is secreted which prevents new mothers from falling into Postpartum depression.
  6. Oxytocin also helps the uterus contract after childbirth and helps mothers bond with their newborns.
  7. Very importantly, women who breastfeed stay guarded against terminal illnesses like breast and ovarian cancers for long terms.
  • Breaking the taboo

In 2018, women in Kolkata were enraged and protested against the awful shaming of breastfeeding mothers, when a mother was allegedly mocked by employees of a mall for breastfeeding in public and was told to breastfeed in a washroom instead.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
BBC

Instances like these are not unique to India; once a mother was thrown out of Corral del Carbon, Spain, in 2015 for nursing her baby inside the monument. Another nursing woman at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London was asked to cover up, however, she was later apologized for this juvenile behavior by the Director.

RelatedPosts

6 Best Places To Visit In India During the Month Of Ramzan

6 Best Places To Visit In India During the Month Of Ramzan

April 15, 2022 - Updated on April 26, 2022
Looking beyond the binaries: Towards a Nuanced Understanding of Gender

Looking beyond the binaries: Towards a Nuanced Understanding of Gender

April 13, 2022

It would be hard to believe that we live in the 21st century when we come across incidents like these; over time due to the intense vulgarization of things, breasts began to be viewed solely as sexual objects with no other worth whatsoever. Laura Clery, a social media influencer, was heavily criticized for putting out a Snapchat video while she was breastfeeding her 2-year-old son, some said the child was too old to be breastfed and others just outrageously shamed her for doing “vulgar” things on a social media platform.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
Woman’s Era

She retorted on Instagram by being the bigger person; calmly and humorously educating those sick-minded people who accused her of such things. Many female celebrities have been condemned by their fans for doing the same.

WHO and UNICEF recommend the initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth and encourage mothers to breastfeed their children without alternate food till six months and with alternatives till 2 years.

Celebrating Motherhood On The Occasion Of World Breastfeeding Week
LLUH News

 

The taboo associated with breastfeeding prevents many women from nursing their babies in public and sometimes at home, in the presence of male members of the house; gravely impacting their health and the health and growth of their babies. It is high time that people stop the over-sexualization of breasts and breastfeeding and acknowledge that it is a beautiful natural process of a mother providing food to her offspring.

Women should not have to feel uncomfortable in public nursing because others around them feel uncomfortable with their own immature and unrefined mindsets. Feeling uncomfortable is their problem and they need to fix it by educating themselves about breastfeeding. Observing the motto of this years’ WBW- “Protect breastfeeding: A shared responsibility”, all of us need to take initiative to smash the taboo around breastfeeding instead of dumping the responsibility exclusively over mothers, if a mother feels uneasy while breastfeeding her baby, it is our fault, not hers.

ADVERTISEMENT

 

 

Also Read: Should Non-Citizens Be Given The Right To Vote?

Author

  • Breastfeeding
    Khushi Maheshwari

    View all posts

ShareSendTweet

Subscribe to our Push Notifications to get the news delivered to you directly before anyone else.

Unsubscribe
Khushi Maheshwari

Khushi Maheshwari

Related Posts

6 Best Places To Visit In India During the Month Of Ramzan
Culture

6 Best Places To Visit In India During the Month Of Ramzan

April 15, 2022 - Updated on April 26, 2022

Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, has begun, and Muslims worldwide are fasting from dawn to sunset. Let's take a look...

Read more
Looking beyond the binaries: Towards a Nuanced Understanding of Gender
Culture

Looking beyond the binaries: Towards a Nuanced Understanding of Gender

April 13, 2022

People have, at all times, in multiple geographical locations and cultures, found ways to shatter the binary lens

Read more
Mercy In The Month Of Ramadan And Nine Blessed Nights of Navratri: Token of Peace and Harmony For People Of India
Culture

Mercy In The Month Of Ramadan And Nine Blessed Nights of Navratri: Token of Peace and Harmony For People Of India

April 7, 2022 - Updated on April 8, 2022

Goddess Durga is worshipped during Chaitra Navratri, also known as Vasant Navratri. Ramadan is a 30-day fast that is followed...

Read more
Exploring the City of “Tehzeeb”- Culture of Hyderabad
Culture

Exploring the City of “Tehzeeb”- Culture of Hyderabad

April 1, 2022 - Updated on April 26, 2022

The culture of Hyderabad is highly distinct, with a mix of modern and traditional influences. In the culture of this...

Read more
The History of Delhi’s iconic Sujan Singh Park
Culture

The History of Delhi’s iconic Sujan Singh Park

March 29, 2022

The structure muddled in controversies is an amalgamation of various aspects of the history of India

Read more
Rishikesh: Pure Waves of Holy Ganges
Culture

Rishikesh: Pure Waves of Holy Ganges

March 28, 2022 - Updated on April 26, 2022

Rishikesh, one of the best tourist places in India serves a variety of tourist attractions like sportsmen, pilgrims, families, and...

Read more
Load More
Next Post
Rise Like Phoenix : The Remarkable Story Of Alice Wong

Rise Like Phoenix : The Remarkable Story Of Alice Wong

Comments 2

  1. Pingback: Rise Like Phoenix : The Remarkable Story Of Alice Wong – The Second Angle
  2. Pingback: 10 Travel Destinations In India To Add To Your Bucket List – The Second Angle

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook Twitter Instagram Telegram

About

The Second Angle

A platform providing diverse views on various issues, providing an in-depth understanding of important developments happening around us. It offers you true journalism amidst the cacophony. Discover the latest news, opinions, analysis and a lot more here.

Important Links

  • About
  • Career
  • Write for us | The Second Angle
  • Support Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • हिंदी

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

© 2017-22. The Second Angle. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
  • TSA Analysis
  • Explainers
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • People
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Environment
  • Technology
  • World
  • Login
  • Sign Up

© 2017-22. The Second Angle. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version