The International Lactation Consultant Association highlights optimal infant and young child feeding as a life course strategy for improving mental health and social connection.

Responsive breastfeeding and caregiving support optimal brain development, laying down pathways used to build trusting relationships. Breastfeeding hormones have protective effects on maternal and infant mental health, and can decrease the risk of postnatal depression.

Investing in breastfeeding has lifelong consequences and can be an effective strategy in improving mental health and social connections. This investment can also help reduce the estimated 340 billion US dollars per year lost globally from unrealized benefits to health and human development due to inadequate investment in breastfeeding. This provides further justification for Member States to integrate breastfeeding support into interventions to support mental health and social connection.