World breastfeeding week: WHO, UNICEF to promote significance of family-friendly policies towards enable breastfeeding

As the world marks 2019 breast feeding week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is working with The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) and partners to promote the importance of family-friendly policies to enable breastfeeding and help parents nurture and bond with their children in early life, when it matters most.

This includes enacting paid maternity leave for a minimum of 18 weeks, and paid paternity leave to encourage shared responsibility of caring for their children on an equal basis.

However, mothers also need access to a parent friendly workplace to protect and support their ability to continue breastfeeding upon return to work by having access to breastfeeding breaks; a safe, private, and hygienic space for expressing and storing breastmilk; and affordable childcare.

The World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global initiative that creates awareness of the importance of breastfeeding, improves the health of newborns and mends mythologies surrounding it and is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August.

“Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of infections in babies and it is the first immunity for the child, which helps to fight against diarrhea, and pneumonia among others,’’ said Olubunmi Aiyedun, president national association of Nigeria Pediatric Nurses.

“Breast milk is adequate and ideal food for newborns and serves as first immunization.

“Breastfeeding plays a key role in newborns and child development, as a child that is exclusively breastfed will live a healthy life as

well as achieve his full potential,” said Aiyedun.

Breastfeeding promotes better health for mothers and children alike. Increasing breastfeeding to near-universal levels could save more than 800 000 lives every year, the majority being children under 6 months.

Breastfeeding decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is estimated that increased breastfeeding could avert 20 000 maternal deaths each year due to breast cancer.

WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is 6 months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond.

Larne Yusuf a medical practitioner based in Lagos said that the advocacy for exclusively breastfeeding has to be scaled up in Nigeria, stating that a lot of mothers struggle to breastfeed their children due to their jobs and some are shy because of the environments they find themselves.

“But the important thing a child needs that breast milk to grow, so we have to encourage mothers and support them to sustain breastfeeding for longer.

“Breast feeding is vital for the baby to grow and develop well; it supports the brain development of children ensuring they learn and grow into happy, healthy and productive adults.

“All babies need breast milk for the first six months of their life; awareness on exclusive breastfeeding should increase. Government should ensure that hospitals promote breastfeeding so as mothers will have the knowledge and confidence to breastfeed their children,” Yusuf added.