Our commitment to breastfeeding

Every baby deserves the best start in life

Human milk is the key to a good start in life and it provides an abundance of lifelong benefits. Breast milk is a critical need for the health of the population and one of the most effective preventive health measures for children and mothers. The WHO and UNICEF recommend a diet of exclusive human milk for six months. In 1981, the World Health Assembly adopted as a recommendation the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (further referred to as International Code). Known as “the International Code,” it is a set of recommendations designed to regulate the marketing of human milk substitutes, feeding bottles and teats. It promotes safe and adequate infant nutrition, by protecting and promoting breastfeeding.

Committed to breastfeeding since 1961

Since Medela’s foundation in 1961, supporting breastfeeding mothers has been at the heart of everything we do. Our founder, Olle Larsson, made this the centre of Medela’s mission when he wrote our Pledge to support breastfeeding in 1981:

“We pledge our dedication to breastfeeding as the best nutrition for babies and families. We further pledge that our breastfeeding accessory products and literature shall never be used to influence mothers to switch from breastfeeding to infant formula feeding. Nor shall our breastfeeding accessory products and literature be used in any way to promote artificial baby milk”.

The same remains true today. Our approximately 1,500 employees around the globe uphold our mission to nurture health for generations, enhancing mother and baby health through the life-giving benefits of human milk.

We take a holistic approach that seeks to:

• Better understand human milk and the science of lactation through basic and clinical research
• Better support healthcare professionals (HCPs) worldwide with professional continuing education on the science of human milk
• Support mothers on their lactation  journey with education and services
• Provide the best breast pump products to activate and maintain a full milk supply if mothers and infants are separated for any reason

Our commitment to the International Code and its recommendations on breastfeeding

We are fully committed to the International Code and resolutely support mothers, babies and families along their breastfeeding journey.

New Marketing Guidelines

We have introduced new marketing guidelines that reinforce our support of the WHO recommendations on breastfeeding by removing all advertising and other forms of promotion to the general public of feeding bottles and teats.

Please refer to the detailed guidelines on our website as they clearly reflect our commitment to breastfeeding mothers and provide a framework for our communication activities.

We will continue to live up to our mission to nurture health for generations by reinforcing the life-giving benefits of human milk, working to do all we can to enable families to breastfeed their babies as long as possible.