The “World Breast-feeding Week” that commences from August 1, is significant because it has ‘breast-feeding as a potential life-saver’ as its theme this year.
WHO statistics reveal that during the first six months, less than 40 percent of mothers across the globe breast-feed their babies.
Breast-feeding can prevent deaths
Constanza Vallenas, Medical Officer of the WHO in the Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development believes that lives of around 13 percent of all children aged below five can be saved if the global breast-feeding rate is increased to 90 percent.
Dr. Vallenas was quoted as saying, “It gives the nutrients and the immune factors that are important for protecting infants against the most serious infections they can get, which is diarrhoea and pneumonia. It also protects against malnutrition.
"The recommendation we have along with UNICEF is that infants should be exclusively breast fed, meaning without even water until six months of age. And, from there on to continue breast feeding with appropriate complimentary foods until the age of two years or beyond.”
Problems faced by mothers
According to Dr. Vallenas, most mothers avoid breast-feeding primarily due to the pain and discomfort that they experience because of it. Then the other problem they face is their lack of awareness on how to get the baby to hold on correctly to the breast’s nipple.
She added that these issues concern women from rich as well as poor nations. The best way to get over them is by offering practical support to young mothers.
The “World Breast-feeding Week” is being utilized by the ‘World Alliance for Breast-feeding Action’ as a platform to stress on the importance of breast-feeding in emergencies. Organizations such as WHO and UNICEF are also a part of this initiative.
False impressions
A common misconception, according to Dr. Vallenas is that stress or insufficient nutrition can discourage women from breast-feeding. Appropriate counselling can help to solve this problem.
She remarked, "One of the things we suggest is that during emergencies there are safe corners so that mothers can breast feed there, that they can receive counseling-one-to-one counseling, that they can have mother’s support groups so they can support each other.
"And, also that health workers or field workers should know how to help a mother re-lactate. That is also possible. If a mother has stopped breast-feeding for sometime, she can resume breast-feeding if she has the proper motivation and support from a skilled person."
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