Between milk and myth

World Breastfeeding Week happens every year from August 1–7. This year’s theme focuses on strengthening “what works”—and that includes community-level support that can literally save lives. This story about baby Omair, his dad Soyed, and a World Vision volunteer named Md. Karim may bring tears to your eyes.

The crying almost came to a stop on a Tuesday morning in October.

Soyed had grown accustomed to his newborn son's faint cries—as weak as they were, they meant little Omair was still alive. But now, in the stillness of their small shelter, his seventeen-day-old son lay motionless in his arms.

Just three weeks earlier, the same room had been filled with joy. Soyed's wife, Nur, had given birth to their first child in the sprawling expanse of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh —the world’s largest refugee settlement. For one fleeting moment, the young couple felt they had everything they could desire.

Nur was only 24 and healthy throughout her pregnancy. She attended all her check-ups at the local clinic, and when labour began on schedule, they hurried to Hope Field Hospital. The birth started smoothly. Omair arrived safely that evening with medical staff present.

But then tragedy struck. Nur began bleeding heavily because of a uterine inversion, a rare condition where the uterus turns inside out after delivery. The doctors at Hope Field recognized she needed specialized care and arranged a transfer to Palong Hospital.

Tragically, Nur passed away en route.

At 24, Nur was gone, leaving behind a husband who didn’t yet know how to be a father and a baby who would never know his mother.

Soyed struggles to describe those early days. “I was lost,” he says. “I had never cared for a baby before.”

The weight of not knowing

In those desperate first days, Soyed tried everything he could think of. He bought what he believed was baby formula from a local shop, copying what he’d seen other parents do. He held Omair close, singing lullabies his mother had taught him as a child. He prayed.

But Omair grew thinner, his skin turning grey, his cries fading. By October, he weighed just five pounds, barely surviving. Soyed didn’t realize he’d been using regular powdered milk instead of infant formula, mixed with water that wasn’t always clean. Their tiny shelter made maintaining hygiene nearly impossible.

A knock on the door

A World Vision volunteer, Md. Karim, arrived at their door that October morning and found a heart-wrenching scene: a father cradling a nearly lifeless baby, both wasting away.

Karim understood child nutrition and safety. He’d been trained through the Joining Forces for Food Security and Child Protection in Emergencies program. He recognized the emergency and acted swiftly. Within hours, a team of World Vision case workers, nutrition specialists and community volunteers filled the small shelter. They spoke calmly but urgently, explaining to Soyed that his son was in grave danger.

The team highlighted a stark reality: in refugee camps, babies who aren’t breastfed face a much higher risk of death due to the challenges of preparing formula with clean water and sterile equipment. The safest option was for Omair to receive breastmilk from another nursing mother. This practice is called wet nursing, which provides essential nutrients and protection against diseases common in camps.

Soyed’s sister-in-law, Golsaher, lived nearby and was nursing her own baby. Could she help?

The price of belief

In their community, a deeply rooted belief called milk kinship held that a child who drinks another woman’s breastmilk forms a lifelong sibling-like bond, complicating future marriages and risking social stigma.

Golsaher stood in the doorway, her own baby in her arms, torn between her instinct to feed a hungry child and the fear of defying tradition.

“We worried about what people would say,” Golsaher admits. “But we saw Omair fading.”

The World Vision team listened to the family’s fears, holding hours of counselling sessions to understand their perspective. They gently explained that these beliefs, while deeply held, were not grounded in medical reality and that saving Omair’s life was the priority.

Gradually, Soyed and Golsaher came to see that tradition could not outweigh a child’s survival.

“We had to choose Omair’s life,” Soyed says.

Small steps, big changes

When Golsaher began nursing Omair, the change was gradual but undeniable. He slowly began to gain weight; his cheeks began to fill out. He was becoming a chubby, happy baby.

Golsaher visited 10 to 12 times a day at first, later keeping Omair overnight to ensure regular feeds, as Soyed was still learning to cup-feed expressed milk.

The World Vision team provided essentials—blankets, soap, and mosquito nets—to support the family’s immediate needs. They connected Soyed with Concern Worldwide for nutrition counselling and Salt Financial Literacy International for infant care education. Most importantly, they gave Soyed hope, helping him navigate his grief and grow into his role as a father.

“Golsaher saved my son’s life,” Soyed says. “The World Vision team showed us we weren’t alone.”

Looking forward

The crisis has passed, but World Vision continues to check on Omair. He laughs, reaches for everything, and brings light to Soyed’s days. The team continues supporting other families in the camp, ensuring no parent faces such choices alone.

In the community, Omair’s survival has sparked questions, challenging long-held assumptions about tradition. Soyed, once overwhelmed by grief and uncertainty, now finds strength in his son’s laughter, learning to be the father he never imagined he could be.

As Omair grows, he represents more than his own future. He’s proof that with the right support, families can choose life over tradition, facts over fear, and hope over despair.

If you were moved by Omair’s story, consider giving a gift to World Vision’s Where Most Needed fund. Your gift helps us support families with urgent needs and funds programs that are short on resources.

Written by Sams Arefin, with editing by Katie Hackett