The percentage of mixed feeding for infants – breastmilk and formula – has risen from 65.7 per cent in 2010 to 88.3 per cent in 2022 and Cyprus’ national strategy for increasing breastfeeding for the years 2024 to 2027 is set to go.

The national strategy offers the opportunity for everyone’s involvement, to the benefit of children and their mothers, as well as society as a whole.

The health ministry said October was breastfeeding month and this year’s slogan in Cyprus was ‘Closing the gap: Supporting breastfeeding for all’.

Cyprus’ national policy was based on the ten steps of WHO and Unicef, supporting mothers to start breastfeeding as soon as possible after giving birth, preferably within the first hour.

Supporting mothers to do this is considered of utmost importance, as is facilitating breastfeeding until the child is at least six months’ old.

After the sixth month, supplementary foods can be introduced, with the aim to help mothers breastfeed until the child is two or older.

To achieve this, it was important to create a breastfeeding-friendly environment in society, so that mothers could breastfeed where they live and work.