Salma Hayek Breastfeeds Sick Baby on UNICEF Trip

February 7, 2009

One child around the world dies every three minutes from a completely preventable illness — tetanus. A recent ABC news report followed actress and producer Salma Hayek to Africa on a UNICEF mission to raise awareness for tetanus in partnership with Pampers. Salma stood bedside with a young mother as her seven-day-old daughter, Fatima, took her last breath. Had the woman be given a vaccine that costs just seven cents while pregnant, the newborn's life would have been spared.

At another clinic, Salma was so moved by a sick one-week-old born on the same date as her own daughter, Valentina, 1, that she picked up the hungry child and nursed him.

81 Comments

4 years 1 week

I read a lot of the comments - It really blows my mind how people hide behind a computer and pass judgement or what they think is wisdom - There was a sick & dying baby, she breastfeed the baby!! Very simply very selfless- Cow milk is not natural only to the baby calf- breastmilk from a woman to a baby is natural- we have been so off key on what is right & what is not- before BabiesRus/Walmart or any other department stores guess what people woman breastfeed all day and all night - I will let you in on another secret they had CLOTH DIAPERS - yes you took a shit in cloth and your mother's hand washed your shit just so you can grow up and leave dumb comments for the whole world to read!! I do have faith in the teenagers - they will grow up to be great Mom's one day and look back and laugh at being young & dumb - we all were!!! Don't be so hard on people

4 years 3 weeks

This is disgusting and very risky to her own child, she could have done something else to help. Wet nursing is not cool, sorry.

4 years 7 weeks

Everyone is hung up on the breastfeeding thing, but I'm interested in what they have to say about tetanus. A newborn is not bloody likely to get tetanus unless the umbilical cord is cut prematurely with a dirty instrument. If the cord was allowed to naturally stop pulsating and dry a bit before cutting it would not be able to carry back the tetanus to the baby's blood stream. This would be the optimal practice in areas where clean instruments are not available. It is simple and even more affordable and easy accessible than a vaccination.

quivondra 4 years 9 weeks

disgusting? we're talking about babies dying and it's "disgusting" to nurture it in the most natural and best way possible? We're animals too and the best food for babies is breast milk. I think what she did was inspiring and a really beautiful gesture. If she got one more mother to decide to breast feed, than she may have saved one more life.PS who's disgusted by the fact that men still control the women to the point that they're having babies at 13 and not allowed to breast feed b/c they want to have sex with them?

quivondra 4 years 9 weeks

disgusting? we're talking about babies dying and it's "disgusting" to nurture it in the most natural and best way possible? We're animals too and the best food for babies is breast milk. I think what she did was inspiring and a really beautiful gesture. If she got one more mother to decide to breast feed, than she may have saved one more life. PS who's disgusted by the fact that men still control the women to the point that they're having babies at 13 and not allowed to breast feed b/c they want to have sex with them?

SueBe 4 years 13 weeks

I have read some of these comments and those who are negative about it either have no children or have an odd outlook on what our breast are used for. As a mother, I can not imagine what it is like to see a child on the brink of death and the one thing that could maybe give them their life is some breast milk and not reaching out to help. Is it because the color of their skin, the fear of disease or because the only place my breast should be is in a man's mouth. I think it unfortunate that in that culture it is frowned upon by the men to not breast feed is because of sexual reasons. I would happily cut of my two breasts if that meant proving to you men that breasts are just blobs of fat...and the only thing that they are used for is giving my child nurishment. Most of you men don't like it around our asses, thighs and belly but you think its great to motor boat on them to get your rocks off. I would definitely help a starving child if that meant offering up my milk that God gave us women to feed our children. How else did they do it back in the day. Oh....yeah, I forgot that in 1802 they had cans of formula. Shame on those who have negative opinions. If you were in their place and your child were on the brink of death and a little breast milk from another mother would help your child live or die, which would you take. I wouldn't want that on my conscience. Good luck to yours.

macchiatolove 4 years 13 weeks

I applaud her as well. There is nothing disgusting or unnatural about this at all.In fact, I can't believe there is even any debate about this. We're talking about a hungry baby, and a woman who has more breast milk than she can use. Seems pretty logical to me!

macchiatolove 4 years 13 weeks

I applaud her as well. There is nothing disgusting or unnatural about this at all. In fact, I can't believe there is even any debate about this. We're talking about a hungry baby, and a woman who has more breast milk than she can use. Seems pretty logical to me!

sofi 4 years 14 weeks

"trash women who breastfeed" :oy:

Greggie 4 years 14 weeks

*lol*

Greggie 4 years 14 weeks

*lol*

heavenly35 4 years 14 weeks

Good for her! We need to trash the women who breastfeed in the U.S.A when their kids are fed well with regular food but are the age of 2 and up (the woman w/ the 8 yr old) that is disgusting, but there those babies are starving and deserve the right to feed from volunteers.

addictCLOTHES 4 years 14 weeks

Hey, I'm a teenager also, and in no way do I agree with what the other girl said. It's rudely ignorant. Sure, it's not something that we see everyday, or are somewhat used to, but if you were facing the same dilemma would you just say no? I'd find that terribly selfish. I couldn't agree more with azh and starbright, bravo Salma! Way to rise up in the moment.

azh 4 years 14 weeks

bravo for salma and bravo for all you girls supporting that amazing action... :)

starbright14 4 years 14 weeks

Bravo Salma!

starbright14 4 years 14 weeks

Bravo Salma!

POPSUGAR Beauty 4 years 14 weeks

I have always liked Salma Hayek, and this makes me like her even more. I think it's laudable that she breastfed a child who needed it. And like Shannolyn says, I hope that I would do the same. I think a lot of people in wealthy countries aren't aware of how many children suffer from easily preventable diseases. Kudos to Salma for helping to raise awareness.

HoneyBrown1976 4 years 14 weeks

You know what's disgusting? Immaturity on a website regarding issues about women. If you can't handle it, stay off. There's nothing disgusting about the act of kindness and love from one human to another.

HoneyBrown1976 4 years 14 weeks

Shannolyn 4 years 14 weeks

Although others have already said it is different ways, I have to add the obvious: a baby under the age of one is not even allowed to drink cow's milk because they cannot digest it. For an infant that young, it's either the breast or formula, nothing else, and any doctor will tell you that. So much for cow's milk being a "natural" choice. So unless Salma happened to be carting around a can of the exact right type of formula suited for that particular baby's needs and digestive system AND had some clean fresh water to mix it with AND had a clean sterile bottle in which to feed it...or she could have offered the sick, starving baby her breast milk--which is automatically all of those things.The saddest part of this whole article--other than the ignorance in readership it reveals--is that even despite that kind and selfless act that poor infant probably has a very minimal chance of survival. But who wouldn't do what they could, if they could? I only hope I would act in the same way.

Shannolyn 4 years 14 weeks

Although others have already said it is different ways, I have to add the obvious: a baby under the age of one is not even allowed to drink cow's milk because they cannot digest it. For an infant that young, it's either the breast or formula, nothing else, and any doctor will tell you that. So much for cow's milk being a "natural" choice. So unless Salma happened to be carting around a can of the exact right type of formula suited for that particular baby's needs and digestive system AND had some clean fresh water to mix it with AND had a clean sterile bottle in which to feed it...or she could have offered the sick, starving baby her breast milk--which is automatically all of those things. The saddest part of this whole article--other than the ignorance in readership it reveals--is that even despite that kind and selfless act that poor infant probably has a very minimal chance of survival. But who wouldn't do what they could, if they could? I only hope I would act in the same way.

PinkUnicorn 4 years 14 weeks

I don't think the attack was in response to her thinking that breast feeding is somewhat "yucky". The attack is because she took issue with Salma feeding "someone else's kid". She was disgusted because Salma was helping an innocent, suffering baby. THIS is why the attack, not because she finds breastfeeding in general gross.

MissyB1984 4 years 14 weeks

I think you guys are being a bit harsh towards scotlandrulz, I'm in my early twenties, I don't have any kids and the thought of a child sucking milk from my boobs absolutely disgusts me right now. However, I know that when I do have children, I will breastfeed, and will most likely grow to love it. Its great that some people with or without kids love breastfeeding, for the rest of us, I think motherhood will have to put those feelings there.

HopeInTheWorld 4 years 14 weeks

Of course a person with "rulz" in their screen name would think it's disgusting *insert eye roll here*. If only more people were as selfless as Selma. Maybe there would be less pain and suffering in the world.

letter2elise 4 years 14 weeks

Let's see...cows milk natural? Hahaha! Human babies need to stay away from dairy until their digestion system can handle the milk proteins. As a nursing mother, I feel what Salma did was wonderful and selfless. Not disgusting at all. I don't know if I could do it, but I was not in her position. She is amazing!

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