Aseefa Bhutto Zardari Champions Inclusive Breastfeeding Support on World Breastfeeding Week 2025
“Breastfeeding remains one of the most powerful, natural ways to protect our children,”
Karachi, August 01, 2025 — As World Breastfeeding Week 2025 begins, First Lady of Pakistan, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari is calling on Pakistan to strengthen its support for all mothers; whether they breastfeed, use supplements for well-documented medical reasons, or combine both - to ensure every child receives the best possible start in life.
“Breastfeeding remains one of the most powerful, natural ways to protect our children,” Ms. Bhutto Zardari notes. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastmilk alongside complementary foods up to two years, delivers clear advantages: stronger immunity, enhanced cognitive development, and long-term health benefits for both baby and mother. Women who breastfeed also lower their risk of breast and ovarian cancers, which remain significant health concerns in Pakistan.
Yet Aseefa Bhutto Zardari emphasizes that no mother should ever feel judged or unsupported if she cannot breastfeed exclusively for medical or other reasons. “Some women face health challenges - premature births, surgeries, or conditions that make breastfeeding unsafe,” she says. “These mothers deserve compassionate care, clear guidance on safe supplementation, and the same dignity and respect we offer to breastfeeding families.”
Despite breastfeeding’s well-documented benefits, many mothers encounter obstacles: insufficient maternity leave, lack of private spaces at work, and aggressive formula marketing. At the same time, mothers who rely on infant formulas—because of health advice or personal necessity—often struggle to find reliable information about safe preparation and nutrition. “Our goal,” Ms. Bhutto Zardari asserts, “is to build a system that uplifts every mother’s choice, connects her to expert counselling, and guarantees access to the most appropriate feeding options.”
To ensure that all families thrive, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari called upon policymakers to enforce strong regulations on breast-milk substitute marketing, so mothers receive unbiased, science-based advice; on employers to provide paid maternity leave, flexible schedules, and dedicated lactation rooms - benefits that support breastfeeding and make formula feeding less stressful; and on Healthcare Providers to offer empathetic, evidence-based counselling on both breastfeeding techniques and safe supplement use, tailored to each family’s needs.
In a country where nearly half of child deaths are linked to undernutrition and diet-related diseases like diabetes are on the rise, the stakes could not be higher. “By supporting breastfeeding and providing respectful, medically sound alternatives where needed,” Ms. Bhutto Zardari concludes, “we honour every mother and safeguard our children’s health. Together, we can build a Pakistan where every family feels empowered, informed, and cared for—no matter how they choose to feed their baby.”
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