The Breastfeeding Journey of Liberian Mothers

Breastfeeding is far more beneficial than we could ever imagine for a baby’s first year of life. Breast milk provides babies with vital nutrition, supports their growth and development, and creates moments of comfort and closeness that strengthens the bond between mother and child.

Across Liberia, many mothers begin this journey strongly. Liberia’s 2025 Comprehensive Food Security and Nutrition Survey Report (CFSNS) found that 95.3 per cent of children ages 0–23 months had been breastfed, while 76.0 per cent were put to the breast within the first hour after birth. Though the data is encouraging, the journey can be difficult because every breastfeeding mother has a unique journey and experience.

Exclusive breastfeeding among infants ages 0–5 months declined from 55.2 per cent from 2019–2020 to 41.1 per cent in 2025. This means that only about four in every ten infants were receiving only breastmilk during their first six months of life.

For Liberia where there is a decline in the exclusive breastfeeding rate, the 2026 theme of “Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in Life: Strengthen what works” is both a call to action and an opportunity to accelerate progress. The theme emphasizes the need to promote breastfeeding while also identifying, strengthening and scaling up interventions that have already proven effective.

As of 2025, the rate of mothers breastfeeding across rural areas is higher at 50.5 per cent, compared to 38.1–39.0 per cent in urban areas. [AC1] [LBG2] Many mothers face different challenges, including returning to work, limited privacy, conflicting information, household responsibilities or insufficient counselling and encouragement. These factors often contribute to the decline in the prioritization of breast feeding. 

All mothers are encouraged to breast feed beyond six months alongside safe and nutritious complementary foods in Liberia. Yet in 2025, only 29.6 per cent of children ages 12–23 months continued breastfeeding. The average age at which breastfeeding stopped was at 9.2 months, much earlier than the recommended two years or beyond.

Complementary feeding also remains a concern. Among children ages 6–23 months, only 12.1 per cent received sufficiently diverse foods, 25.9 per cent met the minimum meal frequency and just 2.4 per cent received a minimum acceptable diet.

These figures tell us that mothers cannot carry the responsibility alone. Fathers and relatives can share household duties and offer encouragement. Health workers can provide respectful and practical counselling. Communities can challenge harmful misconceptions, while workplaces can give mothers the time, flexibility and appropriate spaces needed to continue breastfeeding.

Improving the country’s 41.1 per cent exclusive breastfeeding rate does not require starting from scratch, as Liberian mothers are already giving their babies a strong start. By investing in community and health system and scaling up successful breastfeeding practices, more mothers can continue breastfeeding and give their children the nutrition and care they need to grow and develop. Why? Because every Liberian child deserves a sustainable and healthy start at life. 

Support mothers. Protect babies. Strengthen families.