Breastfeeding Week: Group tasks lactating mothers on exclusive breastfeeding

A group, Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN), has advised pregnant women and lactating mothers in Plateau to do exclusive breastfeeding for their children.

Coordinator of ANRiN in the state, Dr Paul Ganjang, gave the advice at a sensitisation programme it organised to commemorate the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week, on Thursday in Jos.

According him, exclusive breastfeeding breeds healthy children, adding that it also enhances proper child development.

Ganjang, who reeled out the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to the mother and the child, maintained that such practices promote a healthy society.

”We will not get tired of encouraging nursing mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding for their children because it is for the good of the society.

”This is why we are here today to mark this year’s breastfeeding week and to further remind nursing mothers and pregnant women of the need to give their children only breast milk for the first six months of birth.

”The breast milk contains all the nutrients the child needs for proper development and can chase away all forms of diseases from the child’s body,” he said.

Also speaking, the Nutrition Officer of the state, Mrs Lydia Luka, advised women to practice complementary feeding for their children after the six-month exclusive breastfeeding.

She also encouraged them to introduce their children to breast milk early, insisting that such would enable them get used to their mothers’ breast and how to do proper sucking.

”We always advise that the child should be initiated to the breast milk one hour after birth so as to enhance free flow of breast milk from the mother to the child.

”We also want to encourage women to start proper complementary feeding for their children after the six- month exclusive breastfeeding.

”But, mothers are advised to breastfeed their children until they are two years old,” she said.

Luka, however, urged nursing mothers to maintain proper hygiene by keeping their homes and vicinities clean.

Our correspondent reports that the theme of this year’s world breastfeeding week is: ”Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Supporting.”

It was also reported that the programme was held in conjunction with Plateau Primary Healthcare Development Board.