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Voices

At the Save the Children health clinic in the camp at Delmas 75 of Port-au-Prince, class is in session. Sitting in front and demonstrating the breastfeeding skills she learned in similar classes, Lovely proudly shares her learning.

"It's important to hold the baby just so," she explains to the 15 other parents in attendance, as 3-month-old John settles into her arms.

Save the Children has organized support groups and information sessions for pregnant women and new mothers at over 930 sites in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Jacmel, reaching more than 11,000 children between from newborns to 11 months.

When class ends, Lovely describes how important the breastfeeding sessions have been for her. "I found out about the classes when I stopped by the clinic for an immunization. I was pregnant then and I came to learn." The doctors and nurses working at Save the Children's clinic are trained in nutritional support and hold group sessions for pregnant women and new mothers. "The most important thing I learned was how to breastfeed."

Save the Children's lactation consultants coach mothers in breastfeeding techniques - such as how to help the baby to latch on and how to hold the infant - using visual aids and demonstrations. They also provide education on hygiene.

The sessions are almost always full. Many mothers regularly attend classes and new participants arrive frequently. Lovely has brought many of her own friends to the sessions. "I bring others because the sessions are helpful. Many of us didn't know each other before, but now we have become one, a family."

Lovely has high praise for the counselors, who "speak to people very nicely and explain things in a way so that you can understand. I come to all the classes, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, because I like them that much."

Because infancy and early childhood are dangerous times for children in the developing world - every year nearly 9 million children die before reaching their fifth birthday, mainly from preventable and easily treatable causes - Save the Children is using its global expertise to help save young lives in Haiti. Through the lactation classes, mothers are better able to successfully breastfeed and learn important information about hygiene, which helps prevent illness in newborn children.

Since the earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, Save the Children has been able to reach more than 100,000 people overall with health and nutrition programs.