Each year, Medical Teams celebrates World Breastfeeding Week, a time set aside to come together as a global community to raise awareness and increase action on breastfeeding. In many of the countries Medical Teams and other humanitarian organizations serve in, breastfeeding can be life-saving. The first years of a baby’s life are a critical window for preventing malnutrition. Breast milk delivers a balance of the fat, protein, and minerals a baby needs to grow. Moreover, evidence suggests that breastfeeding can have a lasting positive impact on a child’s growth and learning.

Read on to hear more about the importance of breastfeeding and how we’re helping mothers keep their babies healthy!

Benefits of breastfeeding

A mother cradles her sleeping baby outside a breastfeeding awareness training in Colombia. Photo by Lauren Odderstol.

Breast milk is the best way for babies to receive the nutrition they need to grow and stay healthy. Infant formula, or any other breast milk substitute, can be a good option for mothers who can’t breastfeed, whether because of a medical condition or other obstacle. In high-income countries, the difference between breast milk and formula is less dramatic in terms of newborn health outcomes.

But in many countries — including the ones where Medical Teams serves — formula is a subpar alternative to breast milk. First, formula requires water. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion people lack access to clean water globally. That means many households make formula for their newborns with water that could be contaminated with communicable diseases. For many infants, any illness is deadly.

Additionally, formula is expensive and often difficult to access. In low-income countries, families might be forced to spend a large portion of their household income for formula. In those situations, mothers might dilute the formula to make it stretch. Or, they might sacrifice other expenses — like health care — to pay for formula. In some cases, when formula is unavailable, mothers often make do with a mash of oatmeal or other grain and water. But in each case, the newborn is at risk of malnourishment, illness, or even death.

World Breastfeeding Week

Community health volunteers give a breastfeeding awareness training in Colombia. Photo by Lauren Odderstol.

The benefits of breastfeeding are why World Breastfeeding Week is so important. When families understand the difference between breast milk and formula, it can help save their children’s lives. In addition, breastfeeding awareness can help create equity in low-income countries, improve health outcomes, and create better policies to support mothers.

Medical Teams supports breastfeeding mothers through education, support groups, and in some cases, lactation consultations. As a part of our full-spectrum reproductive health, we spend time with mothers having compassionate, caring conversations about their options for feeding their neighbors. Our community health workers help educate and identify mothers who might need more support, too.

Caring for mothers like Aline

Aline and Wimana are happy and healthy today because of the breastfeeding support they received. Photo by Andrew Onapito.

When Aline delivered her daughter, Wimana, via emergency C-section, she felt both joyful and terrified. Her operation had been successful, but she was exhausted and in pain. She was young, without much family close by. As a new mother, she wasn’t sure how she would keep her new baby healthy.

Aline and her husband fled violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo while she was pregnant with Wimana. When they reached the safety of Uganda, she was relieved to find health care. But she also knew she had so much to learn when it came to caring for her daughter.

That was especially true when it came to breastfeeding. Wimana had difficulty latching. Additionally, Aline was weak from the journey to Uganda and her recent operation. But with careful attention and nutrition support from Medical Teams, both mother and daughter found their way to breastfeeding.

Aline says,

“When we went for treatment, we had no hope. But they welcomed us, treated us, and taught us how we can take care of our child. They taught us how to feed her well, and how to prevent disease like malaria.”

After Aline was discharged from the hospital, she returned home with her family. But after a few months, she began to struggle again to breastfeed. One of our community health workers visited her and realized Wimana was losing weight. So they encouraged Aline to come back in for help.

Today, both Aline and Wimana are healthy and happy now! That’s the power of breastfeeding, and why World Breastfeeding Week is so important.

Aline and Wimana visit with a community health worker who regularly checks on how they’re doing. Photo by Andrew Onapito.

World Breastfeeding Week

We’re proud to stand with other humanitarian organizations in support of World Breastfeeding Week. Helping children have a strong, well-nourished start leads to a healthier life. Our breastfeeding support groups and education are just one way we help mothers and babies survive.

If you’d like to help a mother and child like Aline and Wimana, join The Pulse! Our community of compassionate recurring givers powers the heartbeat of Medical Teams’ work day in and day out.