I want to draw your attention to the just released UNICEF report on the world's children for 2001.  It is focused on early infancy, from 0-3 years.  It could be used as a wonderful instrument to promote breastfeeding, since it emphasizes how important good nutrition, early stimulation and empathic care is for the overall development of children.  For somebody as biased as I confess to be (regarding breastfeeding) it was as if the organization gave the elements to come to a clear conclusion: if you want to favour optimal brain development...breastfeed; if you want to ensure good nutritiona and decrease infant mortality and morbility...breastfeed; if you want to foster optimal emotional development of children, by carrying them, listening to their cues, stimulating them, caressing them, etc...breastfeed.

I must admit that on a first glance I felt dissapointed that the report did not emphasized such an obvious connection, so I even went to the presentation before the media here in Madrid, and after the presentation I publicly made the connection: the easiest, cheapest and most obvious way to achieve all this (the report's recommendations) goals is through a stronger promotion of breastfeeding.  I am now reading it in detail, and as I said before, it could be very useful to our cause, we just have to make sure that it is interpreted in the right way, because there are some areas that could be used for less noble purposes.   The much emphasized need for potable water supply is for basic hygene, not to prepare formula; the information on the transmission of HIV through breastfeeding, should be put in perspective, and so on.

Take a look at the document and let us know what you all think.  I guess the report can be found in the UNICEF web page, or you can ask for a copy at [log in to unmask]  Non profit organization can obtain permission for citation and reproduction free of charge.

Lavinia (apologizing for my English which is awful due to exhaution...too much Xmas shopping, but now I am ready to put away my credit cards until the new millenium!!)

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