MWAN Urges Exclusive Breastfeeding: Bonding Makes Mother,Child Relationship Stronger
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MWAN Urges Exclusive Breastfeeding: Bonding Makes Mother,Child Relationship Stronger
By Adesuwa Louisa
Edo state chapter of Medical Women Association of Nigeria, has commemorated this year’s World Breastfeeding Week at the MCH Immunisation Clinic in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, ISTH.
The health workers educated over fifty mothers who came to the clinic with their babies for health talk.
One of the facilitators, Dr Doherty Kike from the Department of Paediatrics ISTH, who spoke on the benefits of breastfeeding advised nursing mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for 6 months, giving only breast milk without water and continue to breastfeed for 2 years with the addition of other foods.
She advised expectant mothers to ensure they get all the facts about breastfeeding and support needed, before they deliver their babies.
Dr Kike also emphasized the essentiality of giving the baby the first breast milk within one hour of birth and advised mothers to make sure they take enough water , eat healthy food during breastfeeding and adequate rest.
Another facilitator, an Obstetrician, Dr Omosefe Paul-Evbuomwan advised the mothers to breastfeed their babies as a means of family planning while charging them not to hesitate in seeking support or advice from health workers and family members.
Dr Paul Evbuomwan called on health workers especially nurses to help teach the mothers how to sit properly to breastfeed, ensure proper attachment of the nipple into the baby’s mouth and good suckling and to take proper care of the breasts.
Adding her voice, President of MWAN, Dr Irene Akhideno encouraged mothers to sustain the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, stressing that for convenience, especially for working mothers, they could extract the breast milk and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
According to Dr Akhideno, Freshly expressed or pumped milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours while in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for about 6 months.
Some nursing mothers at the event, Mrs Stella Ebosele, Mrs Joy Osaghale and Mrs Naomi John thanked the health workers for enlightening them on breastfeeding.
High point of the event was donation of pampers to mothers.
The programme included a question and answer session as well as a demonstration of how to position babies during breastfeeding.
