(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, August 3 (Petra) – As Jordan joins the global community in marking World Breastfeeding Week, national efforts this year are turning a spotlight on the urgent need to strengthen support for mothers both within the healthcare system and across society at large.
Held annually in the first week of August, the campaign runs this year under the theme, "Enabling Breastfeeding: Shared Responsibility of Health Systems and Communities," as part of Jordan's broader initiative "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures."
In a statement issued Sunday, the Higher Population Council warned that breastfeeding rates in Jordan remain well below recommended levels. Just 24% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, a sharp decline from 39% reported thirty years ago. The figures point to persistent barriers in both practice and policy that continue to undermine early and sustained breastfeeding.
Among the most concerning findings: nearly 70% of newborns delivered in private hospitals are separated from their mothers immediately after birth a routine that disrupts early skin-to-skin contact and significantly delays the first breastfeeding session. Only 38% of infants are exclusively breastfed during their first two days of life, with post-cesarean births cited as a key obstacle to timely initiation.
Health experts have long emphasized the critical role of breastfeeding in early childhood development. Beyond its ideal nutritional value, breastfeeding offers powerful immune protection, reducing the risk of infections and chronic illnesses later in life. For mothers, it contributes to faster postpartum recovery, lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and helps regulate fertility naturally.
The economic case is equally compelling: with infant formula costing families an estimated 55 Jordanian dinars per month, formula feeding imposes a significant financial strain particularly on low-income households.
The Council underscored the importance of investing in frontline healthcare workers by training them to guide and support mothers throughout pregnancy and postpartum. It also called for expanding the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, ensuring compliance with the International Code on the Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, and offering accessible, high-quality counseling for mothers during prenatal and postnatal care.
Experts agree that improving breastfeeding rates will require a coordinated, nationwide effort one that goes beyond the clinical setting. Sustainable progress, they say, depends on building a culture that supports breastfeeding at every level: through informed families, supportive workplaces, committed health institutions, and inclusive public policy.

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