Last week, the world marked World Breastfeeding Week under the theme: “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.” While the official week ended on Thursday, the call to action it inspired must echo far beyond a single calendar slot.
At SSWIM, we not only joined the conversation, but we also added voices that matter. Beyond convening two inspiring female medical doctors and a male medical student for a lively radio talk show at Baraka FM during the week, we also gathered powerful first-hand testimonies from two South Sudanese female medical doctors, Dr. Manuella Michael Towe and Dr. Athieng Luelbai Abdalatif. Their experiences illuminate why breastfeeding must be supported through deliberate systems, not left to chance.
For Dr. Manuella, breastfeeding was both beautiful and bittersweet. “It’s a great experience, one that is lovely and emotionally rewarding but also overwhelming at times,” she says. Complications after a preterm twin delivery meant she often expressed milk to feed her babies within hours, an adjustment that demanded both resilience and resourcefulness.
Dr. Athieng describes her journey with warmth: “I enjoyed breastfeeding my child. It strengthened our bond and brought joy as I watched my baby grow.” Her reflections underscore the emotional richness that makes breastfeeding more than nutrition. It is connection, comfort, and care intertwined.
While their will to breastfeed was strong, both doctors, like any mother, faced hurdles that shouldn’t be faced alone. For Dr. Manuella, preterm delivery limited the ability to breastfeed directly. Dr. Athieng experienced breast tenderness in the early days with her firstborn, which required medical intervention and persistence.
These challenges are a reminder that breastfeeding success often hinges not on a mother’s determination alone, but on the systems surrounding her from healthcare to workplace to community, and whether they have the conditions to make breastfeeding a success.
Support systems made a clear difference in their experiences. Dr. Athieng credits her husband’s encouragement and her colleagues’ understanding as pivotal. She highlights how policies like lactation and nursing rooms, on-site childcare, and extended maternity leave make it possible for working mothers to continue breastfeeding without compromise.
For Dr. Manuella, who navigated early motherhood outside formal employment, the husband’s, family’s, and community’s support proved essential. Her experience shows why breastfeeding advocacy must extend beyond workplaces to reach mothers in every circumstance.
There are policies that enable, and these are needed to make breastfeeding a priority and a success. From paid maternity leave to accessible breastfeeding facilities, the two doctors highlight policies that are already effective. However, they also emphasize the importance of greater alignment with global recommendations.
Dr. Athieng calls for six months of maternity leave to match the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) exclusive breastfeeding guidelines. Dr. Manuella advocates for embedding breastfeeding-supportive policies in every institution, from hospitals to government offices, so that no mother faces this journey unsupported.
As female healthcare professionals, both women see themselves as advocates from within the profession. Dr. Manuella educates mothers about both the joys and challenges of breastfeeding, urging them to seek help without shame. Dr. Athieng monitors and advises on breastfeeding practices, ensuring mothers have the knowledge to give their babies the best nutritional start. Their shared message to colleagues is: listen without judgment, collaborate across disciplines, and join forces to influence policies that protect and promote breastfeeding.
The two doctors have messages for the public. From Dr. Manuella: “As beautiful and beneficial as breastfeeding is, it comes with challenges. Mothers need understanding and support, not criticism.” From Dr. Athieng: “Recognise the nutritional and emotional benefits, and create environments where mothers can practice it freely and effectively.”
World Breastfeeding Week may be over, but the work continues. For SSWIM, these stories are not just reflections; they are evidence that sustainable breastfeeding support systems matter and change lives among even society’s seemingly privileged women. Whether it’s through radio dialogues, first-person storytelling, or direct policy advocacy, we remain committed to ensuring that breastfeeding is prioritised in homes, workplaces, and national health strategies.
As our motto reminds us: Empower to Save Lives, when it comes to breastfeeding, empowering mothers is one of the most life-saving acts we can commit to.
At SSWIM, we not only joined the conversation, but we also added voices that matter. Beyond convening two inspiring female medical doctors and a male medical student for a lively radio talk show at Baraka FM during the week, we also gathered powerful first-hand testimonies from two South Sudanese female medical doctors, Dr. Manuella Michael Towe and Dr. Athieng Luelbai Abdalatif. Their experiences illuminate why breastfeeding must be supported through deliberate systems, not left to chance.