A lot of people think about poverty and giving during the holiday season. UNICEF executive director James P. Grant said this:

“Breastfeeding is a natural ‘Safety Net’ against the worst effects of poverty.  If a child survives first month of life (the most dangerous period of childhood) then for the next four months or so, exclusive breastfeeding goes a long way toward canceling out the health difference between being born into poverty and being born into affluence… it is almost as if breastfeeding takes the infant out of poverty for those first few months in order to give the child a fairer start in life and compensate for the injustice of the world into which it was born.”

During this season of giving, we could consider helping more children get the gift of breastfeeding by supporting breastfeeding friends and coworkers, writing our politicians in support of funding for breastfeeding programs, and supporting meaningful maternity leave policies. (Thank you to our local breastfeeding advocate, Anne Altshuler, for finding this great quote from James Grant.)