Ukrainian Mothers Fleeing War Welcomed By Slovakian Breastfeeding NGO

VYSNE NEMECKE, SLOVAKIA - MARCH 05: A general view in the tent's area near the Slovak - Ukrainian border crossing on March 5, 2022 in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia. According to the United Nations, more than a million people have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries since Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Based on the WHO's and UNICEF's Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, in an emergency situation, infants who are exclusively breastfed have their health and well-being protected by the food, water, and immune factors provided by breast milk. Breastfeeding also mitigates physiological responses to stress in both infants and their mothers, helping them to cope with the stress of being caught up in an emergency situation. Studies suggest that breastfeeding is the safest way to feed babies in emergency situations. It helps protect babies against infections, which are more common in such situations. Civic association Mamila in Slovakia provides professional lactation advice to women by registered advisors. In response to the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Mamila decided to support women on the move by offering lactation consultancy at Vysne Nemecke crossing checkpoint where many women with kids wait for the next move. Based on the experience from Vysne Nemecke the Mamila association plans to directly help women who are placed in residential facilities as those conditions offer more privacy than an open tent at the border crossing. In collaboration with the non-formal so-called group "We carry kids in Presov" women on the move were offered free carriers donated in the nationwide collection. Many of those carriers are distributed by humanitarian help to women in Ukraine. (Photo by Zuzana Gogova/Getty Images)