Mothers encouraged to breastfeed
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) was celebrated from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and raise awareness about infant health. The theme this year was “Foundation of Life”.
The Western Cape Government
Health encourages mothers, if possible, to breastfeed their babies. Breast milk contains all the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) needed for good growth and development. Babies need breast milk without any other food or liquids for the first 6 months of their life. Thereafter, mothers can introduce nutritious foods and continue to breastfeed for as long as possible.
First thousand days
Babies’ health is most vulnerable during the first 1 000 days of their life. The right nutrition during this 1 000-day window can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to develop and learn. Our First Thousand Days initiative encompasses all the important components during the first thousand days.
Why breastfeeding is good for you and your baby
Choosing to exclusively breastfeed your baby will help:
protect your baby against respiratory and non-communicable diseases such as asthma and diabetes;
assist your baby’s brain, teeth and jaw to develop;
decrease the chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer;
help decrease bleeding after birth; and
help with weight control after your pregnancy.
Getting the necessary support
The first few days after giving birth can be a very trying time for breastfeeding mothers and the support a mother receives in that time influences for how long she will continue to breastfeed. During the first few days at home the mother may be tired and will need as much support as possible. Family support, a relaxed environment and assistance at home will contribute considerably towards a positive breastfeeding experience for mom and the rest of the family. MomConnect is a free service that aims to use mobile health tools, messaging services and other platforms to create awareness among pregnant women about available health services for their infants.
Milk banking
In Eden, both George and Oudtshoorn hospitals are able to pasteurise breast milk and they rely on the donations from lactating mothers. The importance of donor milk is highlighted by the large number of low birth weight or premature babies. Any lactating mother who can express enough extra milk is asked to contact either George Hospital or Oudtshoorn Hospital to start the simple process of donating breast milk.