Breastfeeding: forms and practices of humanity

Breastfeeding is unanimously recognized by the main world health authorities as a fundamental health protection in the short, medium and long term for both the baby and the mother, offering biological, nutritional, emotional, relational and economic benefits.

The most important international scientific societies recommend giving the baby only breast milk for the first six months of life and subsequently accompanying the introduction of other foods with breastfeeding at least for the entire first year of the baby's life, but also up to two years and over if mother and child so wish.

This archive contains some testimonies of mothers and midwives aimed at deepening this theme by offering points of view anchored to individual experiences and sensitivities.



Chiara Primo

Breastfeeding is a three-way job.

Chiara Primo, mother of little Nicolò, comes to breastfeeding thanks to the push she received from friends and from the clinic she attended before giving birth. Breast milk is defined by Chiara as "complicated" and cites as an example the difficulty of maintaining skin-to-skin contact with the extreme heat that characterized the summer of 2022, letting your baby attach to the breast without a nipple shield or even understanding if he had actually eaten enough.

This last unknown factor led Chiara to introduce infant formula as an evening supplement to calm and put Nicolò who always seemed hungry to sleep. "Breastfeeding is a three-way job" says Chiara: you need someone to support you when you are tired, who recognizes the efforts you are making and who is also a concrete help in household chores is essential, without this help breastfeeding is essential. breasts would be really difficult to carry on.

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