Very few sights are more precious than a mother breastfeeding her baby; you can feel the bond of transcendent love.
Next week marks World Breastfeeding Week, created to educate expectant mothers about the lifelong benefits of breastfeeding their infants rather than relying on formula for nutrition. In 2025, the event celebrates 30 years of education and advocacy. This year’s theme is “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”
According to the organizers, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, both UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) report that in 2025, 48% of all babies worldwide are exclusively breastfed during their first six months, the highest percentage in the past decade. Meanwhile, a 2025 CDC report reveals that while over 83% of babies in the US begin life breastfed, only 24.9% are exclusively breastfed at six months. The stated goal is to ensure that 70% of new moms exclusively breastfeed their infants for six months.
Breastfeeding provides the rapidly growing baby with wholesome, natural, renewable nourishment that simply cannot be replicated by packaged formulas. An added bonus is environmentally sound, with no packaging waste .
In their published review, Mohapatra et al write: “Breast milk is a complete and balanced source of nutrition, containing a mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies in the right proportion that can support the baby’s growth and immune system development. It is easily digestible and promotes healthy gut flora, reducing the risk of allergies, infections, and chronic diseases.”
This said, formulas aren’t equivalent to junk food. One review noted that in the past several years, infant formula developers have improved the content of macro and micronutrients to better resemble those found in breastmilk, and some have even added other nutrients. However, the authors caution, “Although the infant food industry has advanced in recent years, there is no consensus on whether novel bioactive ingredients added to infant formulas have the same functional effects as the compounds found in human milk. “
During World Breastfeeding Week, WHO, UNICEF, and other organizations will spotlight how breastfeeding will supports an infant’s future health and wellness by reducing risk of four adverse events:
1. diarrhea and vomiting
2. respiratory infections like pneumonia developing later
3. childhood obesity, leukemia, cavities, and celiac disease
4. obesity and Type 2 diabetes
Many published studies have shown that breastfeeding strengthens and supports a baby’s immune system. Healthy mothers pass beneficial antibodies to their babies, helping to build strong immunity. According to the CDC, breastfed babies have a reduced risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, ear infections and gastrointestinal illness.
How Breastfeeding Supports Mothers’ Health
Did you know breastfeeding also offers significant health benefits for mother? According to the CDC, breastfeeding mothers have a reduced risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes as well as breast and ovarian cancer. Additionally, a review shows that the act of breastfeeding stimulates the release of oxytocin, ‘the bonding hormone’ which not only fosters emotional connection with the child but also helps the uterus shrink back to normal size post child-birth.
The authors explained: “Breastfeeding-induced oxytocin release was associated with elevated prolactin levels; lowered ACTH and cortisol (stress hormone) and somatostatin (a gastrointestinal hormone); enhanced sociability; and reduced anxiety, suggesting that oxytocin induces physiological and psychological adaptations in the mother.”
WHO and UNICEF recommend that new mothers :
· begin nursing within the first hour after birth
· Exclusively breastfeed the baby for 6 months — no food, formula or water should be introduced during this period.
· Introduce solid foods at six months, but continue breastfeeding until the child is at least two years old.
The Role of Vitamin C The US National Institutes of Health recommends that mothers aged 19 and older supplement with 120 mg of vitamin C daily. The tolerable upper intake level is 2000 mg daily. Breastfed infants (aged 6 months and younger) should receive 40 mg of Vitamin C daily.
In one study, 60 healthy lactating women between 1 and 6 months postpartum who were exclusively breastfeeding their infants were either given a daily supplement of 500 mg vitamin C and 100 IU vitamin E for 30 days, or received no supplementation. Infants of the supplemented mothers showed increased biochemical markers of antioxidant activity in their urine.
C-Fence Solution
A commonly perceived challenge with vitamin C supplementation is that it builds up in the body but is quickly excreted. Nutriventia has addressed this issue with innovative technology. C-Fence vitamin C helps reduce nutrient waste while
delivering protective benefits over a sustained period. This has been demonstrated in a pharmacokinetic study showing that C-Fence can provide all-day sustenance.
The randomized placebo-controlled study assessed the bioavailability of vitamin C in plasma of 18 participants who consumed a single 500 mg dose of C-Fence.
The results showed that vitamin C was well absorbed, and plasma levels remained significantly above baseline for the entire 24-hour study duration. The average time to reach peak plasma levels was approximately 4.5 hours, in contrast to the typical 2- to 3-hours observed with immediate-release formulations.
Vitamin C is a multi-tasking nutrient that benefits both mother and baby. With C-fence, moms can feel confident in a convenient, safe and effective solution during the truly precious time of breastfeeding.
