Breastfeeding and Motherhood from the Perspective of Islam

Lactation, human milk, and motherhood hold very special places within Islam—the world’s second-largest religion, representing 25 percent of the global population. Are you prepared to provide effective, informed care to the Muslim families you encounter in your practice?

To answer “yes,” you must understand the religious basis for breastfeeding within Islam, as well as several key practices that guide infant and young child feeding, weaning, parenthood, and more. In this course, Dr. Fayrouz Essawy, IBCLC, explains:

• Breastfeeding practices outlined in the Holy Quran and Sunnah
• The Islamic view of the importance of breastfeeding, duration of breastfeeding, role of breastfeeding in bonding and parenting, and nursing in public spaces
• The concept of milk kinship and its implications for lactation support regarding wet nursing, donor milk/human milk from a milk bank, adoption, and induced lactation
• How fasting during lactation is approached within Islam and how you can effectively support a client
• And more

Dr. Essawy is a pediatric and neonatology consultant serving on the Cairo Faculty of Medicine. She holds a master’s degree in pediatrics and an Egyptian Neonatal Fellowship, and is the Director of Educational Programs for the Egyptian Lactation Consultants Association. Her clear, detailed explanations of Muslim teachings and the reasons behind them provide the background you need to offer care to Muslim families from a place of accurate information, understanding, and respect.