Breastfeeding-friendly maternity protection and practices in the workplace must be prioritized to increase breastfeeding rates and improve the health, nutrition, and wellbeing of mothers, children, and society.

Alive & Thrive's implementation research spans its program areas, seeking to answer "how" to implement effective interventions and policies. Active studies are detailed in the attached documents.

In Myanmar, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months of age has increased substantially, according to data from the 2009–2010 Myanmar Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the 2015–2016 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS).

The first six months of life are critical for child health and development. Breastmilk provides all the nutrients infants need during this period, supporting brain development and reducing the risk of infection and malnutrition.

In preparation for a national advocacy meeting on human milk banking in Myanmar, A&T worked with UNICEF to develop a brief on human milk banking as a component of a breastfeeding-friendly health systems.

In Southeast Asia, A&T shares its programmatic framework with other countries through the SUN Movement support system.