Breastfeeding begins with a mother—but succeeds with a system

As World Breastfeeding Week unfolds from August 1–7, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF urge countries to recognize that breastfeeding cannot depend solely on mothers. They highlight the necessity of constructing health systems, workplaces, and communities that facilitate breastfeeding. While global progress in breastfeeding rates has risen from around 37% in 2012 to over 47% today, inequalities persist.

Support for breastfeeding is weaker in impoverished nations, crisis-affected regions, and areas where mothers face difficulties accessing dependable healthcare.

Bangladesh's situation is illustrative of these challenges. UNICEF's latest data indicate that 56.6% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, a positive trend. However, this still implies that many babies are not receiving the recommended initiation. Mothers may leave hospitals without adequate practical guidance, encounter pressure to introduce formula, return to work without designated spaces for feeding or expressing milk, or receive conflicting advice from relatives and medical personnel.

Consequently, simply instructing women to "breastfeed more" places the responsibility on those who require assistance.

To address this, Bangladesh must look beyond awareness campaigns. Every maternity facility should provide hands-on assistance shortly after birth and inform mothers on how to seek help postpartum. Healthcare workers should deliver clear, consistent advice instead of leaving families to decipher myths, advertising, and social pressure independently.

Workplaces also present a significant gap. A clean private space, reasonable feeding intervals, safe milk storage facilities, flexible return-to-work policies, and nearby childcare can determine whether a working mother maintains breastfeeding. These elements should not be considered luxuries but necessary investments in family health and the future workforce.

Additionally, protecting breastfeeding mothers from aggressive formula marketing is crucial. Recent UNICEF findings in Bangladesh suggest that mothers may be swayed by formula product recommendations, even from healthcare professionals. Families need information grounded in their baby's needs, not commercial motives. The 2026 World Breastfeeding Week theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works," is apt.

Evidence already underscores the importance of trained support, community counseling, paid maternity leave, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, and safeguards against misleading promotion. While breastfeeding is natural, successful implementation often necessitates time, confidence, expert help, and a supportive environment. Bangladesh has achieved some progress, but the next step is to transform breastfeeding support from a message into an everyday service—from delivery rooms to homes, communities, and workplaces.