World Breastfeeding Week: Benefits for mom and baby

Ah, the smell of a newborn baby. There’s nothing quite like it. Somehow, it smells like...new hope. You’ve been entrusted with this little life—to nourish, to nurture, to encourage, to raise them to be the best they can be.

As I prepare for the birth of my second child in about seven weeks (here’s hoping, anyway), I've been recalling the joys and challenges of breastfeeding with my first.

It’s painful at the outset. Okay, not as painful as labour itself. But, there’s enough stress on a woman’s body in those postpartum weeks that makes breastfeeding another worry to add to the unending list.

With my firstborn, I was grateful to have support along the way in my breastfeeding journey. My husband, my mom, nurses, a lactation consultant and a physiotherapist (hello trigger finger!).

In the end, it was worth all the struggle, knowing I was providing my baby with the absolute best nutrients, immune defence and the most special bonding and comforting experience.

So, this week we’re celebrating World Breastfeeding Week.

Before we start...

The saying “breast is best” has become somewhat of a mantra in mommy culture. And yes, there are many valid reasons to advocate for the benefits of breastfeeding. But this saying can be equally damaging.

Let's recognize that breastfeeding can be a difficult journey. Inverted nipples, clogged ducts, low supply or medical complications can all hinder a mother’s ability to nurse her little one. And there is absolutely no shame if it doesn’t work out. So, together on this journey let’s accept that, ultimately, "fed is best." A mother’s job is to do what’s best for her baby—and herself.

Why celebrate Global Breastfeeding Week?

Every August, people across more than 170 countries pause to celebrate something quietly extraordinary.

Mothers, health workers, hospitals and advocates come together to honour a mother's ability to feed and protect her baby with her own body. That is what World Breastfeeding Week is about. It runs every year from August 1 to 7.

It reminds us that breastfeeding is one of the most powerful, most affordable and most overlooked tools we have. It helps children not just survive but thrive.

I remember the early weeks with my first: the ache, the worry, the middle-of-the-night fear that I was getting it all wrong. I had a supportive partner. Healthcare was a phone call away. I had a safe and warm home.

And it was still hard.

So, when I read the stories of mothers doing this in the world's most fragile places, without any of those safety nets, I feel it deeply. This week is for them.

What is Global Breastfeeding Week and how did it start?

World Breastfeeding Week is sometimes called Global Breastfeeding Week or International Breastfeeding Week. It grew out of a worldwide promise to protect and support new mothers, helping them to understand the benefits of breastfeeding. A few key milestones tell the story:

• 1990: the Innocenti Declaration is adopted. It calls on the world to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

• 1991: the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is founded to act on that declaration.

• 1992: the very first World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated. It has grown every year since.

• 2016: the week is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Breastfeeding connects, in some way, to all 17 of them.

• 2018: the World Health Assembly endorses the week as a key public health effort for children.

The dates, August 1 to 7, honour that founding declaration. Starting with 70 countries, today Global Breastfeeding Week is celebrated across 170 nations. WABA sets the theme and leads the celebration each year. The World Health Organization (WHO), non-profits and health organizations join in to support it.

At its heart, the week celebrates something simple and hopeful: when mothers are supported, babies flourish. It also honours the healthcare workers, families and communities who make that support possible.

Why breastfeeding awareness is a matter of life and death

WHO states that exclusive breastfeeding from zero to six months is the single most powerful way to prevent child deaths.

Let that sink in.

Not a new drug. Not an expensive machine. Breast milk. A food that’s free, always the right temperature and adapts to a baby’s changing needs.

How can breastfeeding be lifesaving? Breastmilk is more than food. It passes the mother's antibodies straight to her baby, protecting against the two biggest threats to young children in low-income countries: diarrhea and lung infections.

We’ve made real progress, but these numbers show just how much breastfeeding can better a child’s future:

• 820,000 lives of children under five could be saved each year with better breastfeeding rates. That’s around 13 per cent of all deaths in this age group.

• Scaling up support for breastfeeding would generate economic returns of $59 USD for every $1 USD invested, because of its positive effects on cognitive development, education outcomes and lifetime productivity.

• 48 per cent of infants under six months were exclusively breastfed globally as of 2024, close to the 50 per cent target and more than 10 percentage points higher than in 2012.

• 60 per cent by 2030 is the new, ambitious target set by WHO.

But the global average hides a harsher reality. The gains are not shared equally. In many low- and middle-income countries, only one infant out of three is exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

Myth: Poverty protects breastfeeding

There is a long-standing belief that mothers in poorer countries "naturally" breastfeed more. The myth is that poverty somehow protects the practice. Research in the International Breastfeeding Journal says the opposite is true. Poverty actually threatens breastfeeding, both directly and indirectly.

Consider the pressures stacked against even the most determined mother:

• Malnutrition and self-doubt: a mother who is herself hungry may worry, often wrongly, that her milk is not enough.

• Aggressive formula marketing: families are convinced that breast milk substitutes (formula or diluted sweetened condensed milk) are a modern, superior choice, even where clean water to safely prepare them doesn’t exist.

• No maternity leave: mothers in informal or agricultural work often return to labour within six weeks of delivery, with nowhere private to feed or express milk. Paid maternity leave was associated with a 52 per cent increase in exclusive breastfeeding.

• Poor sanitation and little guidance: without clean water or trusted advice, the odds tip further against breastfeeding.

Myths, long-held traditions, misinformation and a lack of education push many women to stop early. Some introduce water, formula or solids too soon. The barriers are rarely about willingness. These mothers need an abundance of support.

__________________________________________________________________________

Ever been to a breastmilk bank?

In the Philippines, a breastmilk bank provides donated milk to orphaned, malnourished and premature babies. With strict safety checks and cultural respect, the program has grown, helping vulnerable newborns across the region.

__________________________________________________________________________

The benefits of breastfeeding, for baby and for mom

When we talk about breastfeeding benefits, the conversation often centres on the baby, and understandably so.

Benefits for baby

For the baby, breast milk gives complete nutrition in the first six months. It keeps feeding the baby and building immunity well into the second year. It offers:

• Lower risk of infections, asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

• Protection against diarrhea and pneumonia, which in the poorest communities can be the difference between life and death.

• Links to higher IQ, better school attendance and higher earnings in adult life.

Breastfeeding benefits for mom

I think back to my breastfeeding journey with my first child. The closeness. The quietness. Once we got the hang of it, breastfeeding was a truly rewarding time. (Okay, maybe less so during the middle-of-the-night cluster feeds when you’ve basically turned into a human pacifier.) When my son cried or reached for me, it was reassuring to know I was giving him exactly what he needed—protection, nourishment and care.

The breastfeeding benefits are just as real for mom, and far too often overlooked:

• Helps the uterus contract after birth, which reduces bleeding

• Is linked to a 26 per cent lower risk of breast cancer and a 37 per cent lower risk of ovarian cancer when a mother breastfeeds beyond 12 months

• Is linked to a 32 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes

• Lowers the long-term risk of high blood pressure and heart disease

• Is linked to lower rates of postpartum depression (PPD)

• Decreases anxiety, cortisol levels and blood pressure through the release of systemic oxytocin at letdown

• Promotes bonding and social connection between mother and baby

For moms in areas of poverty, think of how much more these benefits matter! A mother who avoids heavy bleeding recovers faster and stays healthier. A healthier mother can keep caring for her family. Her wellbeing is tied directly to her children's survival.

Barriers to breastfeeding

I know from my own experience that it would be entirely dishonest to say breastfeeding is easy. And in low- and middle-income countries, the very conditions that make breastfeeding a lifesaving practice—poverty, hunger and poor sanitation—are the same ones that make it difficult.

• Hunger: a mother who does not have enough to eat may make less milk, or fear she cannot, and reach for a substitute.

• Poor sanitation: where clean water is scarce, formula mixed with dirty water can turn a feeding into a deadly infection.

• No guidance: without healthcare workers, common problems can feel impossible. A poor latch, cracked and painful nipples or milk that is slow to come in can convince an exhausted mother that breastfeeding is not working.

• Lack of education: some cultures carry traditions that aren’t backed by science. For example, some encourage mothers to throw away colostrum or supplement with food before a baby’s body is mature enough to handle it.

Almost every one of these barriers can be overcome with the right support at the right moment. A balanced meal for the mother. A trained midwife, nurse or friend who knows how to help a baby latch. Antenatal and postpartum education on the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby. A word of encouragement in the hardest first weeks.

These small acts change outcomes.

Qondile's antenatal and breastfeeding journey: Support changed everything

Nothing illustrates this better than the story of Qondile from Eswatini, a first-time mother supported through World Vision's community health work.

Alone and withdrawn

Far from home and without a support system, Qondile struggled to adjust to pregnancy. She had no older woman to guide her. She became isolated and unsure. In time she fell into depression and withdrew. She saw no reason to attend her hospital check-ups, especially after a bad experience with the care she had received.

A turning point in antenatal care

Then Fakazile Stewart, a Rural Health Motivator, entered her life. Through simple, patient conversations, Fakazile took time to understand Qondile's situation. She saw the risks right away. She gently explained why antenatal care mattered. Regular check-ups would track both Qondile's health and her baby's growth. Qondile was hesitant at first, but Fakazile kept encouraging her and connected her to the right health services. Qondile finally went to her check-ups and learned her baby was growing normally. The relief was enormous.

Postpartum care that supported breastfeeding

Fakazile did not stop after the birth. As a new mother, Qondile found breastfeeding painful and frightening. Her milk did not come easily. In the first month, she developed sores as her baby struggled to latch. Fakazile offered steady guidance and encouragement. She explained the value of exclusive breastfeeding. She advised Qondile to eat well to support her milk supply. And Qondile kept going.

By the second month, breastfeeding became easier. She breastfed exclusively for a full six months. Then she introduced other foods, as recommended. Today Qondile makes her clinic visits a priority. She understands why steady healthcare matters. Looking back, she knows that skipping care could have had serious consequences. She is grateful for the support that carried her through such a vulnerable time.

One health worker. One relationship. Three lives changed.

How World Vision Canada supports mothers like Qondile

Qondile's story is not a one-off. Appropriate breastfeeding is one of the core parts of World Vision's approach to maternal and child health. World Vision Canada protects, promotes and supports exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months. We also support continued breastfeeding with other foods for two years and beyond.

In practice, that support looks like:

• Training frontline workers: community health workers and rural health motivators, exactly like Fakazile, are trained to guide pregnant and new mothers.

• Building peer support: mother-to-mother groups mean no woman has to figure it out alone.

• Creating safe spaces: baby-friendly spaces give mothers a place to rest, breastfeed and get nutrition advice.

Through generous donations from Canadians 18,999 pregnant and lactating women received maternal health and nutrition services through World Vision Canada programs in 2025 alone. And over 90,000 people participated in training, counseling or activities on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.

Be part of Global Breastfeeding Week

The difference between a child who lives and one who doesn't can be small. Sometimes it’s a single, caring conversation. Sometimes it is one mother who feels seen and encouraged to keep going.

As I prepare to welcome my second baby, I keep coming back to one thought. Every mother, wherever she lives, deserves the guidance and encouragement in her breastfeeding journey. When we invest in that support, we save lives—hundreds of thousands of lives.

You can be part of that story by donating to World Vision Canada’s mom and baby care or provide ongoing nutritious food for mothers where it’s needed most. Both help provide the health, nutrition and care that give mothers like Qondile, and their babies, a healthy start.