Breastfeeding in DRC

In the context of World Breastfeeding Week 2015, we are invited to encourage the promotion
of early breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding and the continuation of breastfeeding up
until the childs second birthday, so as to reduce maternal and child mortality rates in the
Democratic Republic of Congo.

Breast milk is the best

food for newborns
and infants. It gives
them all the nutrients
they need for a
healthy development.

Breastfeeding
reduces mothers
risk of developing
breast and/or
ovarian cancer.

Breastmilk contains
antibodies that help
protect infants from
diarrhoea and pneumonia,
the two primary causes of
child mortality worldwide.

Adolescents and
adults who were
breastfed are less
likely to be
overweight or obese.

The evolution of breastfeeding in DRC

from 2007 to 2013/2014

92

100

87

% of children aged 0-23 months breastfed

within one hour of being born
% of children aged 0-5 months exclusively
breastfed

64
60

% of children aged 6-23 months still breastfed

in addition to receiving complimentary solid or
semi-solid foods

52
48

At present, approximately 50% of

children under 6 months old are
exclusively breastfed in DRC.

2007

2013/2014

Breastfeeding and the mothers level of education

100

99

98

98

56

53

% of children aged 0-23

who are breastfed

96

% of children aged 0-23

months breastfed within one
hour of being born
% of children aged 6-23
months still breastfed in
addition to receiving at least
four groups of
complementary solid or
semi-solid foods

49
45

The level of mothers education

seems to influence childrens
feeding in some respect: the
higher the level of education,
the more children aged 6-23
months are breastfed in
addition to complementary
foods, and the less children
aged 0-23 months are
breastfed within one hour of
being born.

28

12
8

No
education

Primary
education

Secondary
education

Higher
education

Breastfeeding and household socio-economic standards

100

98

98

98

% of children aged 0-23

months who are breastfed

99

99

% of children aged 0-23

months breastfed within one
hour of being born

52

53

55

% of children aged 6-23

months still breastfed in
addition to receiving at least
four groups of
complementary solid or
semi-solid foods

50

50

17
11

Poorest

Poor

Middle

Rich

Richest

In general, household
socio-economic standards
do not influence
breastfeeding behaviours
but it does seem that when
socio-economic standards
are higher, more children
aged 6-23 months are fed
complementary foods in
addition to being breastfed.

This analysis is a sequel to an article that was published in August 2014 on breastfeeding on the basis of the preliminary
results of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DHS 2013-2014).
References:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/breastfeeding/Documents/MO-BF-Benefits.pdf
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10995-010-0703-7#page-1
http://ponabana.com/breastfeeding-ideal-nutrition-for-child-survival-and-development/?lang=en

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