Breastfeeding is baby Ali’s lifeline
Syrian woman escapes death and gives the gift of life to her baby
A mother would do anything to watch her children grow happy and healthy. But unfortunately, for mothers in conflict-hit areas this wish is not so simple. Conflict not only ends lives, but sometimes prevents new ones too. Manar Qaturji learnt this the hard way.
“I was pregnant and at that time we could not afford food. My body was too weak to carry the baby to term and I miscarried,” says Manar.
After the miscarriage, she and her husband packed up their three children and left their conflict-hit home in Azaz village in rural Aleppo in late 2014.
The closest location where they found shelter was Kirsana village, north of Lattakia.
“It was a new start for us. The landlord allowed us to live on his farm and help raise his chickens to make a bit of money,” she says. This new beginning renewed Manar’s hope of having another baby. Having always dreamed of having a baby boy, Manar was eager to have a healthy pregnancy without the difficulties she had faced in the previous one.
As soon as she found out she was pregnant, Manar turned to the World Food Programme (WFP). To support women like Manar, WFP distributes monthly vouchers to pregnant and nursing mothers, allowing them to buy nutritious foods to improve their diets and health during pregnancy. WFP also referred Manar to a UNFPA clinic for prenatal medical check-ups and delivery. Although not new to motherhood, Manar soon learnt valuable lessons on how to have a healthy baby.
“The doctor told me all about the importance of breastmilk, which alone gives life and sustains the child,” says Manar.
The best choice
Exclusive breastfeeding — when a child is fed nothing but breast milk for six months —can influence a child’s health survival: it provides vital nutrition for healthy growth and brain development. Mothers also benefit from breastfeeding, with reduced rates of breast and ovarian cancer, and of postnatal depression.
In March 2017, Manar gave birth to a healthy baby boy who brought joy and hope back into the family’s lives. Knowing that breastfeeding was the best option for young Ali until he reaches six months, Manar says she is careful about what she eats while breastfeeding, knowing that what she eats, Ali eats.
“Breastfeeding not only helps my child to grow but it also builds a unique bond between Ali and me,” says Manar.
The family receives WFP monthly food parcels and fresh food vouchers, providing Manar with the nutrients she needs for herself and Ali. In Syria and across the region, WFP is working to promote breastfeeding — supporting mothers who do, and encouraging those who want to start.
“My family is now complete,” Manar says smiling, hoping one day to return to her home in Azaz.
