Breastfeeding rates climb to 47% globally, but three widespread myths still undermine success, study shows
Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months has risen from 37% in 2012 to over 47% today, the WHO reports at the start of World Breastfeeding Week. A new study from Sapienza University identifies three common misconceptions that still reduce breastfeeding success.
Global breastfeeding gains
The share of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months has climbed from roughly 37 percent in 2012 to more than 47 percent today, the World Health Organization reported at the opening of World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August). Despite the ten-percentage-point rise, the WHO says many countries remain below their goals, and further gains are possible.
- 2012
- 37 %
- 2026
- 47 %
Health benefits for mother and child
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to protect a child's health, the WHO states. It delivers essential nutrients, bolsters the immune system, shields against severe diseases, and promotes cognitive development. For mothers, it cuts the risk of breast and ovarian cancer as well as type 2 diabetes. The WHO calculates that scaling up breastfeeding promotion could avert close to 400,000 child deaths and around 140,000 maternal deaths annually.
Three myths that undermine success
A team from Sapienza University of Rome reviewed 78 studies from countries including the United States, Germany, Australia, India, and Mexico. Their findings, published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, pinpoint three widespread misconceptions that are often repeated even in maternity wards and that lower breastfeeding rates.
The first myth is that mothers produce too little milk in the initial days after birth. This belief prompts early supplementation with infant formula. The study concludes that colostrum, the highly concentrated first milk, is normally sufficient to meet a newborn's needs.
Our research suggests that colostrum - the first, highly concentrated milk after birth - is generally enough to meet the newborn's needs.
The German National Breastfeeding Commission agrees with this assessment.
The second myth concerns pacifiers. Many parents are told to avoid them in the first weeks of life. Di Chiara, a neonatology specialist and the study's first author, said the evidence does not support that advice.
The use of a pacifier neither shortens breastfeeding duration nor exclusive breastfeeding.
The German Midwives Association, however, maintains its recommendation to wait four to six weeks before offering a pacifier, warning of possible "sucking irritation."
The third myth involves electric breast pumps. Di Chiara said pumps should not be used routinely in the first days after birth to stimulate milk production. If milk must be expressed, hand expression is the better approach.
Recommendations at odds
The WHO advises exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, with not even water given additionally. After that, complementary foods can be introduced while breastfeeding continues until the age of two or beyond. Germany's national guideline sets a minimum total breastfeeding duration of twelve months for full-term infants. The new study's conclusions on pacifiers and pumps reveal a tension between the latest research and some longstanding practices in German maternity care. Correcting these three misconceptions, the authors argue, could help push global breastfeeding rates closer to international targets.
