The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding due to its significant health benefits for both infants and mothers. Here are the key reasons why WHO advocates for breastfeeding:

1. Optimal Nutrition: Breast milk provides all the nutrients an infant needs for the first six months of life. It contains a perfect balance of vitamins, proteins, and fats that are essential for a baby's development.
2. Immune System Support: Breast milk contains antibodies and other immunological factors that help protect infants from common childhood illnesses and infections, such as diarrhea and pneumonia, which are leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.
3. Promotes Healthy Weight: Breastfeeding promotes healthier weight gain and helps prevent childhood obesity. The act of breastfeeding supports the development of healthy eating patterns as the baby grows.
4. Enhances IQ: Some studies suggest that breastfeeding has a positive effect on a child’s cognitive development, potentially leading to higher intelligence quotient (IQ) scores later in life.
5. Reduces SIDS Risk: Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
6. Health Benefits for Mothers: For the mother, breastfeeding helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size faster and can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.
7. Economic and Environmental: Breastfeeding is cost-effective, reducing the need for formula, bottles, and other feeding supplies. It also has a lower environmental impact compared to formula feeding, which requires resources for production, packaging, and transportation.
8. Bonding: The close, intimate contact during breastfeeding supports emotional bonding between the mother and infant, crucial for a baby’s emotional development.

Given these benefits, WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to 2 years of age or beyond. This guidance aims to support the health, growth, and development of infants and young children globally.