2019-2022 action plan for breastfeeding

Key words: Breastfeeding, Contraindication, Attitude, Knowledge, Physician’s role, Practice

The Italian Paediatric Societies recommend breastfeeding as the nutritional norm, unless an informed choice of mothers or an acceptable medical reason for formula feeding exists. Disappointingly, the 2014 Survey on Breastfeeding in Italy conducted by the Task Force on Breastfeeding of the Ministry of Health (TAS) has showed inadequate breastfeeding rates at Maternity discharge and later at 3 and 5 months of age. As a result, TAS has prepared an Action Plan for breastfeeding, which unavoidably implies a pivotal role for the paediatrician in supporting breastfeeding among their patients’ parents. Paediatricians are called to show their positive attitude toward breastfeeding particularly when managing controversial situations. Indeed, after careful scrutiny many maternal conditions erroneously believed to be true contraindication to breastfeeding are better considered as simple obstacles.