Enabling breastfeeding

August is declared the month of breastfeeding globally.

During this month, a lot of advocacy is done to encourage the initiation of newborns on the appropriate food, which is the human breast milk.

Breastmilk is a wonderful source of nutrition whose characteristics in terms of nature and benefits have left scientists totally astonished. 

To date, a lot is still being discovered about this natural food for the newborn which normally starts ‘cooking’ in a mother’s breast as soon as conception occurs.

Breastmilk

Breastmilk is a one-stop balanced meal that is free, easily digestible, readily available, safe, sustainable and always at the right temperature.

It contains many specific macro and micro nutrients which the newborn needs for survival and optimal physical development. 

It is the dream of every parent to have a child who is intelligent and can contribute positively to society.

Breastmilk contains every good thing the brain of a baby needs to become creative, innovative and intellectually successful.

It also gives the baby the protection he/she needs against infections and diseases.

Because it is natural and most suitable, a child has less chance of experiencing life-threatening diarrhoea and vomiting from breastmilk, as compared to other food substitutes.

Bonding

The instinctual art of feeding a baby at the breast, while sharing smiles supports the emotional needs of the baby in a very mysterious chemistry. 

Bonding from breastfeeding has been associated with the reduction of social and behavioural problems both in childhood and adulthood.

Baby is also given the opportunity to exercise and mature the jaws during sucking, and this is a great foundation for later development of speech.

Many of the diseases that adults are saddled with have been associated with their feeding experience during their early years.

With breastfeeding, there is a 30 per cent reduction in the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in later adulthood. 

One is also about eleven per cent less likely to develop hypertension.

Breastfeeding lowers the risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer, and also reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

As they say, you can’t enjoy wealth, if you’re not in good health. 

Parents who don’t breastfeed enough have to make frequent visits to the hospital.

Productive working hours are further lost due to hospitalisations.

Globally, economic losses that arise from mothers not breastfeeding are estimated to be between $257-341billion with low and middle income nations bearing the brunt of their inaction.

At birth, it is recommended that a baby is put to the breast within the first hour.

(Thirty minutes per Ghana Health Services)

In the first six months of life, a newborn is to be fed solely on breastmilk.

This is because the breastmilk contains adequate calories and water that the baby needs till this age. 

The organs of the baby also become well matured and adapted to receive other foods by 26 weeks.

It is encouraged that breastfeeding continues (with other complementary foods) from 6 months up to at least two years of age.

Breastfeeding is not always easy, and sometimes difficulties arise.

These must be shared with health workers for the needed support.

The breastfeeding mother must be supported by every family member, especially partners.

Lawmakers

Lawmakers should ensure mothers have the opportunity to breastfeed exclusively by addressing the duration of maternity and paid leave.

They must enact laws that require employers to provide places and protected time for mothers to breastfeed/express milk at work.

Employers have a responsibility to respect these laws. 

Breastfeeding mothers must have the options of on-site child care, flexible work schedules, teleworking, part-time work, or bringing their babies to work. 

Co-workers must encourage new mothers with a positive accepting attitude and be supportive of their peer.  

We must all work to enable breastfeeding because it is nature’s health plan.

The writer is a Child Development Expert/ Fellow at Zero-to-three Academy, USA.
E-mail: nanaesi_19@yahoo.co.uk