WHO makes new recommendation on breast feeding

The World Health Organization (WHO) is using World Breast Feeding Week from 1 to 7 August to raise awareness of its new recommendation on breast feeding. This advocates six months as the optimum duration of exclusive breast feeding.

The resolution was agreed earlier this year at the WHO's annual assembly. The organisation had previously recommended that exclusive breast feeding should be continued for the first “four to six months” of life. The new recommendations assert …