08 Sep 2013

Mothers have been encouraged to exclusively breastfeed their new born babies for the whole six months.

Princess Marina Hospital principal midwife, Ms Sefetoleng Bogwasi told a workshop on September 6 that exclusive breastfeeding provided all the nutrients and water that a baby needed to grow and develop in the first six months.

Thus, Ms Bogwasi said it was important for mothers to breastfeed as research had shown that breast milk was good for the baby’s growth and health. She explained that in exclusive breastfeeding, babies must not be given any other drinks or foods but only breast milk.

However, she said vitamins, mineral supplements or medicines can be given to children whenever needed. She also explained that most exclusively breastfed young infants feed at least eight to 12 times in 24 hours, including night feeds.

Further, Ms Bogwasi said breastfeeding had other benefits in that it saved money and increased household income as compared to frequent expenditure on infant formula.

She added that time was also saved since there was less of it involved in purchasing and preparing other milks.

Again, she explained that there was less illness required trips for medical treatment that might have been caused by the improper preparation of the formula.

Ms Bogwasi noted that there were rising rates of obesity in children linked with lack of breastfeeding. 

She indicated that about 5500 children died everyday across the globe due to poor infant feeding practices. 

In addition, she said many children suffered long-term effects from poor infant feeding practices including impaired development, malnutrition and increased infectious and chronic illness.

Ms Bogwasi explained that after six months, children should receive complementary foods in addition to breast milk.  She said breast milk continued to be important because it often provided one-third to one-half the calories for the child at 12 months of age.

Also, she said breastfeeding should be continued up to two years of age. 

Meanwhile, some people have, for a long time, bowed to the belief that a breastfeeding mother would have her breasts lose size and shape.

On the contrary, Ms Bogwasi explained that women’s breasts were bound to lose size and shape as they grew up even when they have never breastfed. Ends