Breastfeeding
Mar 27, 2024
At a human milk bank in Vietnam, health workers divide donated milk into bottles for newborns. Photo: PATH.
This article was originally posted on PATH.org, the link can be found here.
When a mother is unable to breastfeed, donor milk can
Blog
Aug 01, 2023
A woman in a health clinic in Kenya breastfeeds while waiting for immunization. Breastfeeding can be done anywhere. Photo: PATH/Anthony Karumba.
Breastfeeding offers children vital health and nutritional benefits with positive lifelong impacts.
Blog
Dec 16, 2021
The gut microbiome is an area of great interest for researchers and clinicians alike. While we know that the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that live in our gut have a huge impact on our health, we are still learning exactly which ones are most
Blog
Aug 03, 2021
Photo: Salim Asim Mapesa prepares food while his wife Hadija Akongo breastfeeds Ruth, their 6-month-old infant in Kakamega, Western Kenya. Engaging male partners increases support for optimal infant feeding. PATH/Evelyn Hockstein
Exclusive
Blog
Jul 30, 2020
Breast milk is probably the closest thing we have to a magic potion. It not only contains the perfect blend of nutrients for babies in the first 6 months of life, but it can also kill pathogens, boost a baby’s immunity, and regulate a baby’s sleep-
Blog
May 06, 2020
In The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the Virtual Collaborative Network of Human Milk Banks and Associations called on global policy leaders and funding agencies to prioritize four high-impact areas:
(1) ensure neonatal nutrition is an
Special Features
Apr 02, 2020
Preliminary findings from a new study by Food for the Hungry provide insight into the connection between maternal depression and the impact on the uptake of commonly promoted household-level health and nutrition behaviors in children. Photo: Jeff
Blog
Feb 20, 2020
“As climate and commercial threats intensify, WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission presses for radical rethink on child health,” opens the press release for the launch of the new report, A Future for the World’s Children?
The question mark is an unsettling
Blog
Aug 01, 2019
Kelli breastfeeds her son, Olivier. Photo: Kelli Cappelier.
The village traditional midwife and my work counterpart, Sané, and I walked to the hut where a mother was holding her malnourished child. The child is crying without tears, and the skin
Blog
Jul 17, 2019
Just the facts: these high-level talking points on diarrheal disease tell you what you need to know about the global crisis and the solutions. Each bullet includes a link to more information. View and share the message map or the plain text below
Message maps
Jan 31, 2019
Rashmi Harale with her daughter at her home in Mumbai. Photo: PATH/Anil Cherukupalli.
The inspiring story of Rashmi
I was momentarily speechless. As I sat listening to Rashmi narrate the ordeal she went through to conceive, give birth, and
Blog
Sep 12, 2018
Diarrhea: The good, the bad, and what you can do to help address this global crisis. Read the full message map, available in English and French.
Message maps
Sep 10, 2018
Between 2005-2015, child deaths from diarrhea plummeted by 30%. But we now know that the long-term consequences of multiple diarrhea episodes are severe. It isn’t fair that children be saved, just to lose out on a happy, healthy life.
We’ll
Video
Sep 10, 2018
In 2008 I started a job at PATH to promote a childhood vaccine against a nasty infection called “rotavirus.” I had never heard of rotavirus but immediately learned that it’s a major killer – responsible for more child deaths around the world than
Blog
Aug 22, 2018
Diarrhea. It is often the stuff of comedy, a dreaded first date woe, or an uncomfortable inconvenience after indulging in too much guac.
Beyond the silly and the squeamish, though, there’s a more important story to be told: diarrheal disease is a
Blog
May 16, 2018
This report from UNICEF shares new analysis on breastfeeding practices around the world and sets out key recommendations for governments, the private sector, civil society and communities in low-, middle- and high-income countries to increase
Reports
Nov 19, 2017
Download this image for Twitter or Facebook. Optional link: http://report.defeatdd.org/breastfeeding-nutrition/
Download this image Twitter or Facebook. Optional link: http://report.defeatdd.org/breastfeeding-nutrition/
Graphics
Nov 15, 2017
We need your help to make a stink about diarrheal disease and the solutions to defeat it: Create and share a Toilet Talk! It's like a one-minute TED Talk in a bathroom, and you can share it on social media using the hashtag #DefeatDD. Check our our
Video
Nov 09, 2017
Childhood diarrhea deaths have decreased, but children are still getting sick and infections are a major problem. Children who survive an episode but are faced with repeated infections are more likely to suffer from lifelong cognitive and physical
Reports
Aug 03, 2017
Ruchika with her daughters, Shyla and Sadhya.
Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and is a pillar of child survival. Despite that, in India, only 42 percent of babies are breastfed in the first hour of birth and only half are exclusively
Blog
Jul 10, 2017
When children live in poor countries, their risk of diarrheal disease is much higher. Solutions to alleviate the burden exist, but we need greater awareness and action if we are going to protect children, families, and communities from the lifelong
Video
Apr 01, 2017
This brief outlines the key barriers to breastfeeding, as well as a summary of global guidelines and country actions.
Read the full brief
Factsheets
Feb 08, 2017
It’s a story that many of us in India are hardened to: rural women talking about their children and the challenges they face in rearing them. A recent trip to one of north India’s poorest areas – the drought-hit Bundlekhand – both surprised and
Blog
Nov 01, 2016
Drawing on lessons from work in other countries, PATH is partnering with the Government of Kenya to develop a human milk banking network tailored to the needs of the country. The initiative integrates human milk banking with other elements of
Factsheets
Oct 13, 2016
You might know that handwashing makes a huge impact when it comes to preventing diarrhea: if everyone made handwashing a habit, diarrhea risk would drop by nearly half! But did you know that good handwashing and hygiene habits can also help children
Blog
Oct 04, 2016
The 2016 Lancet Early Childhood Development Series highlights the importance of multisectoral approaches, especially within the first few years of a child's life, to ensure that she reaches her full developmental potential. Topics include the
Published research
Oct 01, 2016
Poo Haiku has a special legacy as DefeatDD’s first social media campaign and is undoubtedly a fan favorite. Whimsical, informative, and an open forum for all sectors to raise their voice, it is the epitome of what our team considers a successful
Article
Oct 01, 2016
This infographic walks you through the biology behind a key question: Why is diarrhea so dangerous, anyway?
The danger is in the dehydration caused by a diarrhea pathogen (in our example, ETEC).
Children are especially vulnerable to dehydration
Graphics
Sep 16, 2016
Superheroes and villains face off in the battle to DefeatDD! With their powers combined, Nutrition, Vaccines, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), and ORS + Zinc help children, families, and communities conquer the biggest bugs terrorizing towns
Video
Aug 29, 2016
Say sayonara to Star Trek because this summer's biggest blockbuster isn't playing at your local theater. The most compelling drama comes to you right here, as superheroes and villains face off in the fight to defeat diarrheal disease!
That sight
Blog
Aug 02, 2016
Raj Bala (right) is a lacatation counselor at Mahila Chikitsalya Hospital, Jaipur who helps mothers overcome any initial difficulties encountered during breastfeeding. Photo: PATH/Tom Furtwangler.
This story of a baby's survival made me a
Blog
Aug 01, 2016
It's a baby's first vaccine and best source of nutrition, but it's not always easy! Moms need support from other moms, families, and governments. Here are some words of wisdom from a few new moms.
Photo gallery
Jun 21, 2016
This graphic appears in USAID's 2016 Acting on the Call Report.
“This is the story of my life, and it begins the same as everyone else's,” says the narrator of “To Keep a Promise.” It's sweeping and intimate all at once, because it tells the human
Blog
May 24, 2016
A proud new mother in India cradles her newborn. Photo credit: Richard Franco.
Baby Whitney arrived fourteen weeks early in 1980. Her mother Lisa Kidd traded visions of first snuggles in a newly minted home nursery to long days and nights at the
Blog
Sep 23, 2015
Every family across the world wants the best for their children. But everyday dangers in their environment make diarrhea a common and serious threat: more than half a million children die from diarrhea each year, and millions more are hospitalized
Video
Sep 22, 2015
“The results communicate a clear message: We can choose a better future for the world's children.”
I love that sentence from UNICEF's most recent A Promise Renewed progress report. The fact that we have a choice makes two essential points: (1)
Blog
Sep 01, 2015
In June 2012, the Governments of Ethiopia, India and the United States of America convened the Child Survival Call to Action in Washington, D.C. This high-level forum brought together over 700 representatives from government, civil society and the
Reports
Aug 26, 2015
Worldwide each year 3.3 million infants die in the first month of life. India takes the lead with 779,000 deaths (29 deaths/1000 live births). Neonatal mortality constitutes 56% of the total under-five mortality (52 deaths/1000 live births) in India
Blog
Aug 07, 2015
Knowing all of the health benefits of breastfeeding, there was no question that I wanted to breastfeed my son. I was lucky. He was born healthy and full term; and while we had our challenges initiating breastfeeding, we had all of the advantages of
Blog
Aug 04, 2015
Counseling mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding will help transfer the knowledge to communities.
Located in the heart of Bangladesh's capital city, icddr,b's Dhaka Hospital specializes in the treatment of one condition—diarrhea. Known locally
Blog
May 08, 2015
In 2014, PATH welcomed Dr. Cyril Engmann, a world renowned expert in newborn health and our new director of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN). That sounds like a lot of disciplines to take on, but Dr. Engmann is used to
Blog
Feb 01, 2015
This case study shares how PATH and partners successfully advocated for national policies in support of human milk banks in South Africa.
Breastmilk is the ideal nourishment to help children grow and protect them against disease. Human milk
Factsheets
Dec 22, 2014
With two college-going children - pardon - adults in the house - it is difficult to recall them reaching their fifth year milestone. I still recall, though, the amazement that often came from friends and family in the larger cities of India (who
Blog
Nov 11, 2014
Making human milk banking a priority in South Africa (2015)
306 KB PDF
Strengthening Human Milk Banking: A Global Implementation Framework (2013)
1.3 MB PDF
Foneastra Milk Pasteurization Monitor: Building Capacity of Small-Scale Human Milk Banks (
Other
Oct 01, 2014
In a swampy field in Western Kenya, an energetic Alfred Ochola surveys the crowd. All eyes are on him as he rolls up his pants, wades into a muddy stream, and fills a bucket with dirty water.
Special Features
Aug 01, 2014
Step-step, pause… step-step… plop (down on her bum)! And just like that, my little one is walking. Completely unaware of the monumental shift she's created in our lives, my daughter happily crawls toward the kitchen to play with Tupperware lids. I
Blog
Jun 30, 2014
In two short weeks, my daughter will turn one year old. Looking back at her newborn photos, I wonder how this year went by so quickly. How could that wrinkly creature who could scarcely open her eyes or control her little limbs now be this
Blog
Jun 02, 2014
If there was a way to save half a million children's lives every year, wouldn't you join that movement?
Get looped in to the global movement to defeat diarrheal disease.
Video
May 21, 2014
If you move in global health circles, you may have had the good fortune to meet soccer star (and ONE Campaign Global Health Policy Director) Erin Hohlfelder. In her recent blog, she reflects on how access to lifesaving immunizations gave her the
Blog
Oct 23, 2013
Kiersten at a mothers' group meeting in Khiro block, district Rai Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Kiersten Israel-Ballard, Technical Officer for the Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Program from PATH's Seattle office was in India in September
Blog
Oct 10, 2013
There's a story that haunts me in child health. It's the story of the child who successfully fights an episode of malaria one year because she got the right medicine at the right time but the following year, after a severe episode of pneumonia,
Blog
Oct 01, 2013
Drawing on the experiences of milk banks around the world, PATH developed this document as a high-level blueprint or toolkit that ministries of health, policymakers, and implementers can use to identify the critical components required for an
Reports
Sep 01, 2013
Increasing the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding could save an estimated 1.5 million infant lives each year. In fact, up to 55 percent of infant deaths from diarrheal disease and acute respiratory infections may result from inappropriate
Factsheets
Aug 29, 2013
Diarrhea and pneumonia are the leading causes of mortality in children under 5, accounting for over 2 million deaths annually. More than 90% of these deaths occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where children in the poorest, most rural
Blog
Aug 14, 2013
As part of my work for PATH, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Kasturba Hospital in Sewagram, India. My colleague and I were given a tour of the facility by a young doctor on staff there, Dr. Abhishek, and his enthusiasm for the
Blog
May 09, 2013
One year ago this month, the plans were well underway - plenty of ideas, not too many specifics, and uncontainable excitement: The defeatDD team was heading to Zambia!
I had actually been once already, before joining PATH. Nine years prior,
Blog
Apr 24, 2013
We can prevent 95% of deaths from diarrhea and 65% of deaths from pneumonia by scaling up cost-effective interventions. How cool is that? That was the bottom line from US AID's briefing about the Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and
Blog
Apr 17, 2013
Zambia is leading the charge to defeat diarrhea. The country serves as a model for the successful integration of policies, education, safe drinking water, rotavirus vaccines, and ORS/zinc.
Video: PATH; Photos: PATH/Gareth Bentley.
Video
Apr 11, 2013
This week, we celebrate integration. Though it is intrinsically at the heart of what we and our partners do in addressing myriad global health challenges through thoughtful, efficient strategies, today integration is particularly at the fore. For
Blog
Apr 05, 2013
Dr. George Armah, Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor, University of Ghana
Dr. Roma Chilengi, Country Lead, Absolute Return for Kids, Zambia
Dr. Chris Elemuwa, National Pneumonia Focal Point, National Primary Health Care Development
Other
Apr 05, 2013
Dr. Shams El Arifeen, Director, The Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, at ICDDR,B (icddr,b)
Dr. Lulu Bravo, Professor of Paediatric Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of the
Other
Apr 05, 2013
Dr. Koki Agarwal, Director, Maternal & Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP)
Dr. Greg Allgood, Director and Founder, Proctor & Gamble Children’s Safe Drinking Water Programme
Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance
Dr. Thomas Brewer
Other
Mar 25, 2013
This past Friday was World Water Day and an opportunity to celebrate the excellent work being doing to promote water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the developing world. The UK has played a leading role in making WASH a priority for
Blog
Mar 13, 2013
Reposted from makingmalariahistory.org.
Last week, the Washington Global Health Alliance held its “Experience Global Health” exhibit on Capitol Hill. The unique, multi-sensory event presented stories of global health struggles (like malaria
Blog
Jan 31, 2013
In this country, diarrhea tends to be shrugged off as a mild nuisance, but in parts of the developing world, it can be a death sentence. Health workers like Salif in Mali know this all too well.
He recently treated a young boy, Sekou, who had
Blog
Jan 01, 2013
This presentation gives a concise overview of the problem of diarrheal disease, the solutions and the ways to take action on this issue. Use the full presentation, or pull content from the slides to incorporate them into your own presentations. This
Presentations
Dec 20, 2012
A community meeting to receive health messages from a CHW.
Community-level perception of a public health intervention is tantamount to the success or failure of its uptake. Programs generated in the West can often be perceived as irrelevant,
Blog
Nov 12, 2012
On a recent visit to a local children's ward in the northern part of Ethiopia over 70% of the children were suffering from pneumonia. When a child in this region goes to the hospital, most often the parents move in as well, sleeping in the same
Blog
Sep 05, 2012
Advocates in Viet Nam in front of a pledge banner with hundreds of moms' signatures in support of six months maternity leave.
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is one of the most effective ways to reduce a child's risk of diarrheal disease. In
Blog
Jul 13, 2012
Ten years of development work, and this week marked my first visit to an African health care clinic. The waiting room was tiny, tight, and filled with weary anxiety. The bottom line being that, despite my own excitement, the women and children in
Blog
Jul 12, 2012
I don't think any of us expected to be deeply moved during an informational interview at Zambia's Ministry of Health, a stop typically made to gather facts and figures rather than inspiration.
In a crowded room with thick binders filling an
Blog
Jul 05, 2012
Infectious disease isn't the only thing that can go viral these days. Facebook posts and tweets can, too, which makes social media pretty powerful stuff.
At defeatDD, we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can harness the potential of
Blog
Jun 20, 2012
“Oh, Stephanie, NO. Not while we're eating our dinner!”
This is how the conversation usually goes when my parents make the mistake of asking me how my job is going over a family meal. I have become so used to discussing this subject, I forget
Blog
Jun 14, 2012
As health leaders from around the globe gather for the Child Survival Call to Action, it is heartening to see India take a leadership role as co-convener of the Summit. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of Health and Family Welfare for India, will help
Blog
May 16, 2012
I didn't notice Savita Rai at first. I was too busy watching the mothers' group. I was in her Indian village to see how PATH's Sure Start project was transforming a devastating situation—high rates of maternal and newborn deaths—into one of hope
Blog
May 02, 2012
At USAID's "Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday" briefing, USAID Administrator Raj Shah proudly displays a photo of one of his little ones, who had just graduated from her play group.
I've always had a soft spot for revolutionary people and ideas,
Blog
Apr 09, 2012
How can we stop millions of deaths from diarrhea? With simple solutions. Just listen...
Video
Mar 14, 2012
Summer 2006, rural China: My colleagues and I take a bathroom break at a rest stop on the side of the road on our way to a health clinic. Unlike many female restrooms around the world, there isn't a long line of patrons waiting to use the holes in
Blog
Mar 02, 2012
Do you remember how your mom took care of you when you got sick?
Moms everywhere want to take care of their kids. Diarrhea can be deadly, but mothers have hope when they have access to simple solutions. Proven, affordable tools should be at-hand for
Video
Feb 08, 2012
The 1,000 days between a woman's pregnancy and her child's 2nd birthday represent a critical but short window of time to ensure a child's future health and prosperity. Children who are well-nourished during this critical window reap a lifetime of
Blog
Sep 14, 2011
Call it what you will: joining up or combining interventions, integration or disaggregation. Whatever you call it, it is essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and to alleviating poverty and disease. We can't agree more with
Blog
Aug 03, 2011
Overwhelming evidence points to undeniable benefits of breastmilk in curbing diarrhea illness and death, yet breastfeeding rates in some of the world's poorest countries remain staggeringly low. Only a third of mothers in the developing world
Blog
Jul 13, 2011
How can we make an impact on child health in far-away countries for those of us who are working from our desks in the US?
We think this is an incredibly important question, and so do our Facebook friends. In fact, when we recently interviewed
Blog
Jul 01, 2011
PATH is working to promote human milk banking to improve nutrition for infants who are especially vulnerable, such as those in resource-limited settings who are pre-term, low birthweight, severely malnourished, born to HIV-positive mothers, or
Factsheets
Apr 19, 2011
It's been a year since defeatDD was born. Back then, I blogged about how diarrhea was often a joke at the party, but less often a serious contender for action in the world of global health. Over the past year, I've started to think maybe I was
Blog
Apr 14, 2011
In the village of Kamusinga, Kenya, parents learn about basic diarrheal disease prevention strategies from a community health volunteer.
Memories of my stay in the bustling border town of Busia, Kenya, fill me with optimism. Last October, I
Blog
Nov 09, 2010
This week, PATH is co-hosting a symposium - along with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and Vietnam's National Pediatric Hospital - on the importance of taking an integrated approach to defeating diarrheal disease.
The gathering will bring
Blog
Apr 04, 2010
Follow PATH's Alfred Ochola as he demonstrates how simple, cost-effective solutions are defeating diarrheal disease in Western Kenya. Read more about Alfred Ochola on PATH's website.
Video
Mar 31, 2010
No one wants talk about it, but diarrheal disease is the second leading killer of children around the world. Watch this video to find out why and learn how you can add your voice to the growing conversation.
Video
Mar 30, 2010
On March 31, 2010, the Government of Kenya stepped out as a regional leader in the renewed fight against DD—unveiling an updated national policy to manage and control diarrheal disease. The policy, which highlights traditional and new interventions
Other
Mar 12, 2010
One woman’s stand against diarrheal disease
Women rarely hold office in Kenya. Florence Weke-sa is an exception. Currently deputy mayor of Kimilili, Florence is the first woman to hold the position and was the only female councilor on the Kimilili
Blog
Jan 01, 2003
WHO and UNICEF jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding to revitalize world attention to the impact that feeding practices have on the nutritional status, growth and development, health, and thus the very survival of
Reports
Aug 01, 1999
Protecting and investing in the physical, mental and emotional development of all children lays the foundation for a better future. Breastfeeding – available to almost every child – is key to that future. It offers one of the earliest opportunities
Reports