More mothers are breastfeeding their infants nowadays but the rate remains far below the global target for 2025, according to a recent Unicef-supported survey.
Almost one in three mothers in Thailand exclusively breastfed their babies during the first six months of their life, up from 14% from 2019, the study found. However, this still shows a huge gap from the Global Nutrition Target of 50% by 2025.
Marking World Breastfeeding Week this week, Unicef is calling for increased support to help all mothers, including working mothers, exclusively breastfeed their babies.
"While the new data shows the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Thailand has doubled over the past few years, too many children are still missing the opportunity to have the best start in life," said Kyungsun Kim, Unicef's representative for Thailand.
"Breastmilk is a mother's superpower. But as a mother myself, I know that breastfeeding is not always easy, and to continue breastfeeding exclusively for at least six months is challenging, especially for working mothers," she said.
"Mothers need support from family members, doctors and nurses as well as their employers and co-workers to keep up breastfeeding and give their babies the best food for their optimal development."
Breastmilk is full of all the nutrients babies need to grow and thrive. Breastfed children are less likely to suffer from wasting and stunting and have improved cognitive outcomes compared to non-breastfed children, she said.
The World Health Organization and Unicef advise mothers to breastfeed their babies during the first hour of life, and exclusively breastfeed them for six months. After six months, mothers can continue breastfeeding while also providing their infants with age-appropriate food until they are two years old, Ms Kim said.
This week Unicef Thailand is launching a social media campaign called "The Masterpiece" to raise public awareness that breastfeeding is everyone's business.
The campaign features tributes to the world's most iconic artworks, playfully reworked to reiterate the importance of breastfeeding. The campaign emphasises that breastfeeding has been important throughout human history, Ms Kim added.