m2m Advocates for Exclusive Breastfeeding at the 2nd World Breastfeeding Conference

m2m staff and Mentor Mothers panel
Poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days of children’s lives (from conception to 24 months after delivery) can have irreversible consequences on health. Good nutrition through exclusive breastfeeding for six months significantly improves a child’s chance of survival and long-term good health. The agenda for the conference focused on exercising women’s rights, children’s rights, and the rights to food, nutrition, and maternity protection. Areas that are fundamental to achieving good nutrition, such as the framework for action on child nutrition, including emerging issues of obesity and HIV/AIDS, were also analysed.

Nozi Samela (left), former Mentor Mother
Breastfeeding rates across the globe are low. In South Africa, the status quo is similar, with approximately 45% of mothers choosing to breastfeed their babies. This is more so among mothers living with HIV, despite the World Health Organization recommendations that HIV-positive women can safely exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months, while they themselves are on HIV treatment. Mentor Mother Irene Nkosi said, “The support and love I received while pregnant at m2m was so different than my last pregnancy. I knew everything I had to do to protect my baby from infection. I could make an informed decision as to how I feed my child and I chose to breastfeed her.”

Dr. Shungu Gwarinda’s opening speech
“As mothers2mothers, we promote exclusive breastfeeding. Among several of our peer-based interventions, we train and employ local HIV-positive women as Mentor Mothers to work alongside nurses and doctors in public health facilities and within communities. Mentor mother provide peer based health education and support to pregnant and new mothers,” concluded Gwarinda in her speech.