Breast milk has been considered the most complete food for the newborn. In addition to its nutritional, biological and even economic benefits, breastfeeding contributes to global development and favors psychomotor and cognitive development, in addition to contributing to the strengthening of the affective relationship between mother and child, stimulating and reinforcing the mother-baby bond .
In addition to promoting healthy growth, breast milk plays an important role in immunity against respiratory infections and diarrhea, the main causes of infant mortality, constituting an important factor in the promotion and protection of child health.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF - exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age can prevent the deaths of 1.3 million children under 5 years of age annually and, according to the World Health Organization - WHO, 41% of mothers exclusively feed their children up to 6 months. In the world, this index is slightly lower, 40%, but it is important to remember that the global target set is 50%.
Encouraging breastfeeding means, first of all, avoiding infant mortality.
Characterization of the Municipality
The municipality of Peruíbe is located on the south coast of the State of São Paulo contained in the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista, its limits are Itanhaém to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Iguape to the southwest, Itariri to the west and Pedro de Toledo to northwest, occupying an area of 324.14 km2 (IBGE). The access road is the Padre Manoel da Nóbrega Highway (SP 055). The municipality is about 138 Km from the Capital (São Paulo) by Padre Anchieta Road(SP-150) or Imigrantes Road(SP- 160) and 172 Km by the Régis Bittencourt Highway (BR116), at a distance to the municipality of Santos (main reference in the health area) that is 85 km.
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