Damiana's baby

The World Health Organization is following six women around the world to compare their experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. Here, Damiana Mamani from Bolivia describes life with her six-week old baby, Alberth.

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Damiana Mamani: Bolivia "My eldest daughter helps me" Samah Mohamed : Egypt "I returned to work after four weeks" Hiwot Abraham: Ethiopia "Her father's family will raise her"

Renu Sharma: India "I breastfeed around 10 times a day" Bounlid: Laos "I'll have to take her to work" Claire Roche: UK "We go for check-ups each week"

Damiana Mamani, 29, says she still has to breastfeed her son, her third child, for almost three hours a day, and twice at night.

Damiana says all her family help care for the new arrival

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Damiana told the WHO: "My husband is very supportive and was especially helpful when I had a bout of flu recently.

"He bathes and takes care of Alberth every evening when he gets home from work."

She added: "I'm relieved I don't have to go back to work yet.

"During the day, my eldest daughter Edith helps me look after Alberth while I get on with my household chores.

"I've also had a lot of support and advice from women in my neighbourhood."

The WHO says Damiana and her husband are fortunate that all their children are well.

In Bolivia, one in 15 children die before their fifth birthday. The majority of these deaths are from preventable and treatable conditions such as pneumonia, malaria and measles.

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Seven days

Damiana and her husband Abraham, who live in Cothuma, on the outskirts of La Paz in Bolivia, already have two daughters.

Damiana said the first seven days of her son's life were "exhausting".

She told the WHO: "I breastfeed Alberth every two to three hours, and then try to get some rest when he falls asleep.

"But I also have to look after both my daughters and prepare meals for everyone - and I have an awful cold.

"Luckily, my husband is a great help."

She added: "At the health centre, my husband and I received information on family planning.

"We have three children now and don't plan on having any more."

The WHO says that in Bolivia, 20 in every 1,000 babies die in their first week of life from preventable diseases.

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Childbirth

Damiana was in labour for only five hours.

Alberth was vaccinated against tuberculosis and hepatitis B

She told the World Health Organization: "We are both so happy to have a healthy son in the family.

"We have two daughters already and we wanted a baby boy to make our family complete.

"Abraham is thrilled at the idea of playing football with his new son."

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Seven months

Damiana was told at this stage of her pregnancy that she was expecting a baby boy.

She said: "I saw pictures of my baby for the first time when I had an ultrasound scan at the clinic. It was amazing and made me feel even more excited."

Just over two thirds of women in Bolivia attend at least one antenatal visit during their pregnancy.

The WHO recommends that pregnant women should have at least four antenatal check-ups during their pregnancy.

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Five months

The WHO first spoke to Damiana when she was five months pregnant.

She said then: "I consider myself lucky, because we have a health centre in our neighbourhood where I have been receiving antenatal care."

Damiana expects to rely a lot on her older children to help out when the new baby arrives.

Bolivia has one of the worst maternal death rates in Latin America. One in 47 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth.

Around 65% of births in Bolivia are assisted by a skilled assistant such as a midwife, doctor or nurse.

The WHO says all women should have access to such care.

Where the women live

Photos courtesy of the World Health Organization.