The best thing a mother can do for her newborn is breastfeed -- which does more than help children survive， it helps them to thrive with benefits that last a lifetime， said the United Nations today， kicking off World Breastfeeding Week.

“Immediate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth could prevent one in five unnecessary deaths. That’s more than 500，000 children every year. More than 1，500 children every day，” said Anthony Lake， Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund （UNICEF）， in a letter marking the start of the Week.

But despite being the simplest， smartest， and most cost-effective way of supporting healthier children， stronger families， and sustainable growth， fewer than half of the world’s newborns benefit from breastfeeding. Even fewer are exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

World Breastfeeding Week -- celebrated every week from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries -- highlights the vital role breastfeeding plays in the lives of children. And this year’s celebration “Breastfeeding： A Winning Goal -- for Life！” underscores the crucial link between breastfeeding and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals （MDGs）.

The UN World Health Organization （WHO） recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is six months old. Nutritious complementary foods could then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond.