Centers of Excellence for Breastfeeding
To be a center of excellence, a facility must…

Human milk bank (HMB) services are an essential component of a breastfeeding-friendly health system. HMB services give at-risk infants, such as those born pre-term or low birthweight, access to the multiple benefits of breastmilk when they need it most.

The resources below provide MNCH program leaders and implementers with tools for delivering maternal nutrition programs at scale. The materials were originally developed in 2016 by the Government of Bangladesh, BRAC, and Alive & Thrive. The program was funded by Global Affairs Canada.

Alive & Thrive used the tools presented in this document to implement its maternal nutrition program from 2015-2016.

These two infographics summarize Alive & Thrive’s work in Bangladesh from 2009 to 2014. The rigorously evaluated intervention resulted in large scale improvements in exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.

Grandmothers play an important role as caregivers and as advisers to young mothers on infant feeding. Some have called them “guardians of tradition.” This tradition can at times conflict with new ideas, but need not be a barrier.