Breastfeeding: Building a Healthier Generation
Breastfeeding is one of the natural practice that enhances good health however it has not been given the deserved attention in this age of increasing health awareness.
Breastfeeding is one of the public health strategy that holds the key to improving the health and development mothers and their babies which also secures a healthy future for children.
The World Health Organization, WHO and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding of babies for the first six months with continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods up to two years of age and beyond. It is also important for babies to get breastfed within the first thirty minutes after birth.
*Importance of early breastfeeding*
*It helps the baby to learn to breastfeed, reduces bleeding and helps eject the placenta.
*It helps the baby and mother to bond easily, keeping the baby warm and breathing well.
**Colostrum*, that thick yellowish milk is good for the baby, it protects them from illness and helps remove the first dark stool.
*Frequent breastfeeding ensures plenty of breast milk.
*Exclusive Breastfeeding*
This requires mothers to give babies only breast milk for the first six months of life, give nothing else, not even water.
*Why Exclusive Breastfeeding*
*Breastfeeding provides all the food and water that the baby needs during the first six months of life
*Other liquids, water and food can make the baby sick.
*Breast milk satisfies the babies thirst and breastfeeding increases breast milk.
*For the mother, it protects them from another pregnancy, natural child spacing. It protects the mother’s health.
Mothers who breastfed are at lower risk of postpartum bleeding, ovarian cancer
Remember that breast milk contains antibodies and immune boosting factors that protect babies from infections and breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from diarrhoea and sudden infant death syndrome.
There is also the economic gain in breastfeeding which is reducing the cost of buying formulas for babies and lowering household expenses on families.
For us to have a Healthier Generation, we all must support breastfeeding, we must support mothers to breastfeed. Individual support, Family support, community support groups, the government and health care support is needed to enjoy the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of breastfeeding.
Making breastfeeding a priority may look simple but it is a veritable investment tool for the health of the future generation.
We all should see it as a responsibility to help mothers achieve exclusive breastfeeding, we must all join hands to remove barriers in workplaces, homes and communities that hinder breastfeeding.
