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Breastfeeding could prevent the deaths of around 1 million children under five in the developing world each year, according to UNICEF.

In the developing world, rates of breastfeeding have remained relatively stagnant, growing from 32 percent in 1995 to 39 percent in 2010. 

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said If breastfeeding were promoted more effectively and women were protected from aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes, we would see more children survive and thrive, with lower rates of disease and lower rates of malnutrition and stunting. 

In May, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office launched it's "Latch on NYC" campaign to support mothers who breastfeed their infants by asking city maternity hospitals to voluntarily sign on to support a mother's choice to breastfeed and limit the promotion of infant formula in their facilities which can interfere with that decision. 

The campaign will go in effect on Sept. 3.

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said human breast milk is best for babies and mothers. 

"When babies receive supplementary formula in the hospital or mothers receive promotional baby formula on hospital discharge it can impede the establishment of an adequate milk supply and can undermine women's confidence in breastfeeding," Farley said. With this initiative the New York City health community is joining together to support mothers who choose to breastfeed."

According to UNICEF, some of the roadblocks to improving breastfeeding rates are widespread and unethical marketing by makers of breast milk substitutes, poor national policies that do not support maternity leave, and a lack of understanding of the risks of not breastfeeding. 

The 2008 Lancet Nutrition Series highlighted the remarkable fact that a non-breastfed child is 14 times more likely to die in the first six months than an exclusively breastfed child. Breast milk meets a baby's complete nutritional requirements and is one of the best values among investments in child survival as the primary cost is the mother's nutrition.

World Breastfeeding Week began Wednesday, Aug. 1 and ends Tuesday, August 7. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that moms exclusively breast-feed for the first six months of a newborn's life to boost protection against many illnesses and allergies.

Babies who are fed formula and stop breast-feeding early may be more at risk for diabetes, respiratory and ear infections and are more likely to require doctor visits, prescriptions or hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children who aren't breast-fed are also more likely to be obese and are at a higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The CDC says in the U.S., most babies start breast-feeding, but within the first week, half have already been given formula, and by 9 months, only 31 percent of babies are breast-feeding at all.

Ninety percent  of NYC mothers start breastfeeding. However, by the time the baby reaches two months, only 31 percent of NYC mothers are still exclusively breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby's life. Breastfed babies are much less likely than formula-fed babies to get ear, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, and are also less likely to develop asthma. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mothers -- women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancers.