Breastfeeding, a team effort (II)
UNICEF Cuba supports the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health to improve breastfeeding indicators in the country
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According to the results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS Cuba, 2019), only 3 out of 10 children are breastfed until the first year of life. This study showed that exclusive breastfeeding before six months of age reached 40.9%, below the minimum 50% established as positive by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Cuba Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supports the efforts of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) in the country to improve these indicators. Achieving this will also be the result of the commitment and support for breastfeeding provided by families, communities, workplaces and health centers.
Darlys, Claudia, Dianelis, Alina and Lisset have extended the duration of breastfeeding to their children and recognize the contribution offered by many.
Breastfeeding my baby, despite all fears
“Thiago came into my life at a very special time, but together with a threatening pandemic. The uncertainty of what would happen each day, the fear brought by the high numbers of people infected with COVID-19 or dead; the global crisis that was already looming, were some of the factors that made the pandemic a constant anguish.”
Darlys Safora Mayea recognizes that in her breastfeeding story there is a wide network of community and labor support that accompanied her despite the confinement and fears in the midst of the COVID-19 health emergency. She feels lucky to have an extended family, thanks to the Ebenezer Baptist Church of Marianao, in Havana, of which she is a member, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, where she works.
“Having the support, accompaniment and presence, even from a distance, of friends, work colleagues, sisters and brothers of faith, really made the difference in breastfeeding my baby and maintaining the extreme care imposed by the pandemic. Despite all the fears I could feel, it was a happy stage and full of hands that helped me to support us to do well.”
My pride
When Claudia Calderón learned she was pregnant again, she was breastfeeding her 8-month-old daughter Giulianna. “I was shocked,” she confesses. “I looked for information and it said that very few women became pregnant while breastfeeding. With the help of my husband, family and friends, I went ahead with my second pregnancy and my body began to accept it.”
She remembers her hospitalization for the birth of Galilea as a difficult moment, because she could not keep up with Giulianna’s breastfeeding. The little girl “forgot about her teat, but then when she saw her sister she wanted to breastfeed too, so I took on breastfeeding both of them until only the little one was left. We have been breastfeeding for 2 years and 7 months and I am proud of it.
“For me, breastfeeding is very important because breast milk is the ideal food for the baby, it contains all the nutrients it needs for its growth and development, as well as substances that protect it against infections and allergies. It also creates the bond between mother and child. My second child was a blessing; it taught me that you can love two people at the same time.”
Claudia was one of the mothers photographed for artist May Reguera’s exhibition Vidas, which opened in November 2022 at the Center for the Development of Visual Arts in Old Havana. The exhibition was inspired by May’s own experience as a mother committed to breastfeeding her son Milán. In it, she gathered images and testimonies of other women who tell the story of their breastfeeding journey without romanticism or myths.
They also questioned some frequent phrases that mothers hear at this stage: “she doesn’t sleep through the night because of the breastfeeding”, “you have to wean him because cow’s milk is much better after one year of age”, “so much breastfeeding will make him dependent on you...” The exhibition recognized and made visible the support of different groups and initiatives that support mothers and families involved in breastfeeding.
No barriers for breastfeeding and loving
Dainelis Suárez and Suniel Suárez recognize that the well-being of their son Ethian Daniel owes much to “the healthy, continuous and agreed upon practice of breastfeeding. Teething needed breastfeeding, the discomforts of vaccines have been more bearable because of breastfeeding, the afflictions and growth crises have been overcome thanks to breastfeeding.
“My child has enjoyed 2 years and 4 months of happy, sustained breastfeeding. It has been a difficult but wonderful journey. Breastfeeding our son is not only our complicity and bond; it is also that of the family. Dad’s understanding, support and company have been vital. It is impossible not to mention our Maternidad y Vida community. They have made us a more confident family to face our roles as parents.
“Our constant motherhood/fatherhood has definitely been better because of breastfeeding. We live it to the fullest; we stop in the middle of chores to lie down the three of us together to enjoy a batch of teti (that’s what we call it). We look for the shade to do our thing in the park or on the beach. We have no barrier to breastfeeding/loving at any time. It's our best way to watch our son grow up.”
Communities for pleasant motherhood
Alina de O Joya exclusively breastfed her son Oliver for the first 6 months of his life and has continued to breastfeed him without rushing to wean. As her son’s 4th birthday approaches, she assures that “we will continue until my baby decides”.
For her, there was a before and after, starting with her connection to Liga de La Leche Cuba (Cuba Milk League) “There I found a tribe to mother together. Respecting my baby’s needs from breastfeeding with information and 24-hour support made a big difference in my motherhood. Mothers need communities to mother pleasantly, where we are not judged, and our decisions are respected and appreciated.”
From her own experience, Alina gives a high value to sharing her experiences with other mothers and fathers. Being an active part of initiatives such as the Milk League or the Crianza Respetuosa (Respectful Upbringing) project has enriched her own family and others.
Un entorno laboral seguro para lactar
A safe work environment for breastfeeding
Lisset Ametller Estévez has seen the gestation, birth and development of the a+ espacios adolescentes Center, located in Old Havana. Beyond being “her job”, this institution of the Office of the Historian of the City is her home.
Her story as a professional and also as a mother is closely linked to this place and to the team of colleagues with whom she works. First Aitana and then Matías, her children, have found there a group that has cared for them since even before they were born.
Lisset sought out and sent us photos showing the support of her colleagues at the Center to make her motherhood more bearable and accompanied. The return to her professional duties as a working mother did not mean a pause in breastfeeding.
Yoylán Cabrera, one of her coworkers, says that breastfeeding became a commonplace act for them. At meetings, they would witness this special moment of feeding the baby very naturally.
Getting involved in the care of mothers and children, guaranteeing them a quiet space for breastfeeding and respecting their time are some of the keys to this team that has turned its workplace into a pro-breastfeeding site.
