Message from the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health

World Breastfeeding Week 2012

October 1-7, 2012

As Minister of Health, I encourage Canadians to recognize World Breastfeeding Week as a time to celebrate the role breastfeeding plays in providing children with the healthiest start in life.

Breastfeeding - exclusively for the first six months, and continued for up to two years or longer, along with other age-appropriate foods -- is important for the nutrition, immune system, growth, and development of infants and toddlers.

Helping expectant parents and their families make informed decisions about breastfeeding can be done by sharing knowledge, providing encouragement and creating environments that are accepting of breastfeeding mothers, in private and public places.

The Government of Canada promotes breastfeeding as the normal and unequalled method of feeding infants. For example, Health Canada is updating infant feeding recommendations with the help of the Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada, Breastfeeding Committee for Canada and other experts so health professionals have the most current information available on infant nutrition. The first joint statement, Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Birth to Six Months, was launched in September 2012.

The Government of Canada also promotes breastfeeding through a number of other initiatives, including the  Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, the Maternal Child Health Program, and the promotional booklets  10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed Your Baby and  10 Valuable Tips for Successful Breastfeeding, which provides parents with information and practical advice on infant feeding.

In addition, the Public Health Agency of Canada is updating its materials on infant safe sleep to emphasize how breastfeeding can protect against the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

As Minister of Health, I encourage all expectant parents to learn about the importance of breastfeeding. I also want to thank health professionals, health organizations, researchers and policy makers for supporting and promoting breastfeeding in Canada. I also encourage all Canadians to play a role in creating environments that support breastfeeding.

For more information on breastfeeding please visit: Breastfeeding & Infant Nutrition

Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
Government of Canada