Did you know that only 6.7% of births in the US occur in “Baby-Friendly” facilities that meet international guidelines for supporting breastfeeding? Breast milk not only contains the ideal amount of nutrition for newborns, breastfeeding immediately after birth could help save 830,000 newborn babies from dying a year and exclusive breastfeeding for six months could save even more babies and children.

Save the children has found there are four major barriers to breastfeeding around the world:
1) Cultural and community pressures
2) The health worker shortage
3) Lack of maternity legislation, and
4) Aggressive marketing of breast-milk substitutes – or formula.

Before marriage, I, like many other women had already planned my fairytale future. I was going to meet a wonderful man, marry him, have his children, and live happily ever after. Meeting the man of my dreams happened. My ideal wedding did as well. Unfortunately, getting pregnant was not the fairytale I had imagined.

My husband and I struggled with infertility for two and a half-years before getting pregnant with out first child. My morning sickness and fatigue were overshadowed by how excited I was to be pregnant. I was determined to give my child the best possible start in life.  I read multiple books about pregnancy and newborns, my eating habits were excellent, I exercised regularly and took pre-natal vitamins.  Nothing could have prepared me for what came next.

Just 36 weeks and 2 days into my pregnancy, I was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital, and in labor. Nine hours later, my daughter was born.  Moments after her delivery, she was whisked away and I didn’t see her until it was time for her first feeding. It had been over an hour.  What I didn’t know then was that it’s estimated that 22% of newborn deaths could be prevented if breastfeeding started within the first hour after birth, and 16% if breastfeeding started within the first 24 hours. (src: UNICEF, Pneumonia and Diarrhoea: Tackling the deadliest diseases for the world’s poorest children, 2012)  As I sat in the nursery trying to breastfeed for the first time, a nurse stood over me. My daughter had trouble latching on, in turn, causing me frustration and tension between the nurse and I. Breastfeeding was a lot more difficult than I expected. Things didn’t get better. Talia, my daughter, was Jaundice. We were told that we needed to supplement by bottle-feeding. Although it helped my daughter recover from Jaundice, it severely impeded my hopes of breast-feeding regularly, and I eventually had to stop. The guilt I felt was overwhelming but I didn’t think I had any other choice.

It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my second child that I learned about how I may have been able to avoid having to stop breastfeeding. My second daughter was born exactly 36 weeks and 2 days into my pregnancy (the same as my first daughter), and was jaundice as well. Fortunately, my support system was much better, I also had a lactation specialist to help me. Although I am proud that I was able to breastfeed Julia (my second child), for more than 6 months, I still feel guilty that Talia was not given the same benefits.

No mother should be denied support to ensure there newborn is given the best possible start in life.  Although I was not concerned with my daughter’s survival due to my inability to breastfeed, many women face that possibility every day.  Around one in eight of the young lives lost each year could be prevented through breastfeeding. (src: Jones, G et al., ‘How many child deaths can we prevent this year?’ Lancet Child Survival Series, 2003, 362:65-71) 

Save the Children is calling on Secretary of State Kerry to recommit to the 1,000 Days Partnership that expires in June. You too, can help by going to http://www.savethechildren.org/1000-days and sign their petition to help mothers around the world get more support around breastfeeding and lifesaving nutrition for their babies. Since 2010, this international partnership has already helped countries such as Indonesia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Tanzania develop strategies around fighting childhood malnutrition through supporting breastfeeding and other important steps.

Additional Resources
“Baby-Friendly” facilities in the US that meet international guidelines for supporting breastfeeding can be found here: http://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/find-facilities/list-of-designated-facilities–by-state
Hospitals working toward “Baby-Friendly” status through CDC initiative can be found here: http://www.nichq.org/our_projects/cdcbreastfeeding_participating_teams.html

*I am a part of the Global Team of 200 and Social Good Moms’ 24-Hour Blogathon spreading the word about Save the Children’s new breastfeeding report, Superfood for Babies. Sign the petition urging Secretary Kerry to help mothers around the world get more support around breastfeeding and lifesaving nutrition for their babies.