In breastfeeding, support makes all the difference

The World Health Organization calls breastfeeding “one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival.” We’re constantly learning new and wonderful things about the benefits of breastmilk: Its antibodies help to fight and prevent infection. Babies who are breastfed have better vision. They’re less likely to develop asthma, allergies or serious illness. They perform better on intelligence tests and are even less likely to develop diabetes or obesity later in life.

Feeding only breastmilk to infants for their first six months—known as “exclusive breastfeeding”—is considered best for their long-term health and development, yet for many reasons, less than half of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed.

The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2025, which runs August 1-7 every year, is “Invest in breastfeeding, invest in the future.” The focus is on strengthening health systems, policies and community solidarity so that women have the support they need to breastfeed their babies wherever they like and for as long as they wish to do so.

Here are stories from three moms—Peris, Som Chhin and Asmar—who have each received both education and assistance in their breastfeeding journeys. As their stories show, support makes all the difference.

Peris in Turkana County, Kenya

Peris lovingly rocks her three-month-old baby girl. Like any mom, she wanted the best for her child and thankfully, the first-time mom was set up well. With support and counselling through her local mother-to-mother support group, she was educated about the importance of exclusively breastfeeding her baby during the first six months of life.

"I began breastfeeding immediately,” she says, “and I can see that the growth and development of my baby girl is going on well.”

The mothers’ group, supported by World Vision with funding from UNICEF, gives women a safe space to share their experiences and receive factual information on mothering issues like breastfeeding and nutrition. The volunteer educators also help to dispel myths and taboos that can put women and children in danger.

For example, the Turkana people have a custom where newborn babies can only be breastfed after their naming ceremony has taken place. This delay puts successful breastfeeding at risk, increasing the odds that the baby will miss out on their mother’s antibody-rich colostrum, go hungry, or be supplemented with goat milk or porridge which are unsuitable for a newborn's digestive system.

“People used to say that breast milk is not enough, but that is just a myth, as I have more than enough,” Peris says. To keep her supply up, she eats a balanced diet, stays hydrated and tries to avoid stress. “The more you breastfeed,” she adds, “the more the milk will be produced.”

Som Chhin in Pouk District, Cambodia

Som Chhin is on a similar journey with baby Rany in Cambodia.

“I was trained to provide proper breastfeeding, so I breastfed Rany since she was born,” Som Chhin explains. “This month, Rany gained two more kilograms; now she is five kilograms.”

Malnutrition among young children is a significant problem in Cambodia, where 32 per cent of children are too short for their age and 10 per cent don’t weigh enough for their height. One underlying issue is a lack of accurate information about breastfeeding and newborn care.

Through a Baby Friendly Health Centre project in Som Chhin’s area, health providers, including midwives, nurses and volunteers, are being trained to support their communities with proper breastfeeding and nutrition practices. They, in turn, go on to educate local families.

“When I breastfed Rany and looked at her, she was so strong and healthy,” says Som Chhin, “because I gave her the best start with breastfeeding.”

Asma in Islampur, Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, Asma’s story is a little different. With her first two children, she endured rocky postpartum experiences that made nursing difficult. With her third child, she has seen the difference a medically supported birth and a successful breastfeeding journey can make.

“Previously, I did not know about pregnancy care and the importance of hospital delivery so I prepared for delivery at home. After delivery I got sick for a long time and for that reason did not feed first milk to my elder children,” she says, referring to the vital colostrum.

Asma joined a World Vision project focused on food production and women’s empowerment. Through it, she received training in various aspects of farming and business management, along with education in pregnancy and postpartum care and nutrition.

After taking these lessons to heart, she had a complication-free hospital delivery where her third child began breastfeeding immediately. She continued breastfeeding exclusively for six months before introducing complementary foods. As she fed her whole family using cooking and nutrition and hygiene concepts learned through the project, she found that everyone’s health improved. Their medical expenses even decreased noticeably. (Read more about Asma’s new approach to gardening here.)

“These initiatives of the project are very essential to change the lifestyle of a family as well as society,” says Asma.

Written by Katie Hackett, with files from Sarah Ooko, Dara Chhim and World Vision Bangladesh