Do you believe that breastfeeding can be healthy for people and for the planet as well? I guess, we all are mostly aware of benefits of breastfeeding to babies as we are told or in any way, we got to know about it but recently research has revealed that breastfeeding is healthy to the planet and can help in mitigating climate changes. This is magical and I believe promoting breastfeeding 3E’s; early initiation within an hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months and extended breastfeeding for up to at least 2 years can support in climate action. 

Breastfeeding now can be regarded as an investment for the future and for the planet as well. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of childhood diarrhea, pneumonia as well as other infections and ultimately premature mortality. (Victora et al., 2016) Some studies revealed that breastfeeding reduces the risk of post-partum hemorrhage and to some extent risk of breast cancer among mothers as well. Thus, breastfeeding is advantageous to both mother and babies. 

Now, to the planet new evidence is unfolding and evolving as ‘climate change’ seems to be intersectional with different areas including food system. Globally, transition in an infant and young child feeding (IYCF) have been observed; families are switching towards use of commercial milk formula (CMF) as an easy option mostly in East Asia (Baker et al., 2016). Recent study in 2019 revealed that livestock as second to the production of methane from oil and gas industry and concluded that breastfeeding for six months also could save an estimated 93-153 kg of CO₂ emission per baby compared to formula feeding.(Foodnavigator-usa.com, 2019; Joffe et al., 2019). Recently a green feeding tool has been developed by Australian National University and Alive & Thrive that allows for quantifying positive environmental and ecological impacts of breastfeeding at country level, thus encouraging breastfeeding practices and discouraging use of commercial milk formula. The tool can be very supportive to policy makers and advocates, as it quantifies reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by promoting breastfeeding. Now, it is believed that climate change and global warming are beyond the issue of environment and ecology, but an issue of food system and human lifestyle. Every kilogram of commercial milk formula (CMF) produced believed to contributing 8-16 kilograms of greenhouse gases (GHG), thus the green feeding tool giving evidence can significantly contribute towards promoting breastfeeding from policy to practice at country level. 

Whoever believed that promoting and encouraging breastfeeding can help in mitigating climate changes and thus breastfeeding is also believed advantageous to our home planet. 

Disclaimer: The purpose of this writing is to promote breastfeeding from an intersectional perspective not just because commercial milk formula production leads to GHG emission and the author strongly believes in right-based perspective on breastfeeding.