Investing in breastfeeding - the world breastfeeding costing initiative.

Background: Despite scientific evidence substantiating the importance of breastfeeding in child survival and development and its economic benefits, assessments show gaps in many countries' implementation of the 2003 WHO and UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (Global Strategy). Optimal breastfeeding is a particular example: initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months; and continued breastfeeding for two years or more, together with safe, adequate, appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting in the sixth month. While the understanding of "optimal" may vary among countries, there is a need for governments to facilitate an enabling environment for women to achieve optimal breastfeeding.

'Negotiating the tensions of having to attach and detach concurrently': a qualitative study on combining breastfeeding and employment in public education and health sectors in New Delhi, India.

Objective: the aim of this study was to explore the factors involved in combining breastfeeding and employment in the context of six months of maternity leave in India.

Design: qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using a Grounded Theory approach.

Setting: Health and Education sectors in New Delhi, India.

Theory and social practice of agency in combining breastfeeding and employment: A qualitative study among health workers in New Delhi, India.

Background: Women's agency, or intentional actions, in combining breastfeeding and employment is significant for health and labour productivity. Previous research in India showed that mothers use various collaborative strategies to ensure a "good enough" combination of breastfeeding and employment. Bandura's theoretical agency constructs previously applied in various realms could facilitate the exploration of agency in an Indian context.