Filani said this at a news conference to commemorate the 2020 edition of the breastfeeding week on Thursday in Ado Ekiti.

According to him, poor breastfeeding is largely responsible for the high infant mortality rate in the country.

He, however, noted that the incident was gradually being checkmated following the advent of exclusive breastfeeding and improved medical practices.

The commissioner said Ekiti was rated as having 55.4 per cent compliance with the first six months exclusive breastfeeding policy it initiated in 2019.

He said that the improvement in the state was due to the proactive action taken by Gov. Kayode Fayemi interms of increased sensitisation.

“Findings have shown that investing in breastfeeding will prevent 13 per cent of child deaths and morbidity if 90 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants, for the first six months of life.

“Globally, only 38 per cent of infants are exclusively breasfed and suboptimal breastfeeding contributes to 800,000 infant deaths globally on annual basis.

“So, any baby who is exclusively breastfed for the first six months without any formula, has fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of diarrhea and has fewer hospitalisations and trips to the doctor.

“It is so significant that it has helped to remove the myth and unacceptable use of herbs and concoctions for neonate and young children,” he stated.

Filani added that exclusive breastfeeding, aside reducing the rate of child mortality, would also rake in an estimated sum of $150 million into the country’s economy yearly.

The commissioner noted that as part of the policy that would enhance adequate care for infants in Ekiti, six months had been approved for maternity leave for female civil servants.

He added that the government was also considering granting paternity leave to the male civil servants, to make both parents responsible for the care of their newborns.

Filani then appealed to mothers to refrain from unwholesome cultural practices, mandating giving of water and other fluids to newborns and embrace exclusive breastfeeding.

He added that this would assist in boosting the baby’s immunities, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality rates in the system.

The post 800,000 babies die of poor breastfeeding globally each year, says Health Commissioner appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Shona told our reporter on Monday in Ilorin that contrary to popular belief that men sucking their wife’s breast could prevent breast cancer, it could only help detect it.

She said mothers who breastfeed lower their risk of pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer.

“Most women who breastfeed experience hormonal changes during lactation that delay their menstrual periods.

“This reduces a woman’s lifetime exposure to hormones like estrogen, which can promote breast cancer cell growth.

“And what sucking the breast by a man can only do is to detect breast cancer by feeling the lumps early enough so as to seek medical help,” Shona said.

She however said it was encouraged that women allow their spouses to massage and fondle their breast to detect cancer early.

“We are encouraging women not to deprive their husbands from the pleasure of breast sucking and fondling as it will also be beneficial to them.

“This is because in as much as we preach self examination by women for early detection, most women don’t do it.

“So, if they allow their husbands help them with it, it will help a lot because early detection is the major panacea to address the scourge.

“If breast cancer is detected early before it gets to an advanced stage, it could be survived,” Shona said.

The medical expert however noted that men could also have breast cancer, advising them to also be on the lookout.

The post Breastfeeding prevents cancer, not men – Expert appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Kizito told our reporter on Thursday in Abuja that the misinformation had become a common belief among young mothers.

“This is not medically true as it has not been scientifically proven. Therefore, nursing mothers should engage in exclusive breastfeeding for the well-being of their children,” he said.

The consultant said that consistent wearing of well-fitted brazier would help keep breast firm during and after the breastfeeding period.

According to him, breastfeeding also helps mothers lose the weight they might have gained during pregnancy.

“Surprisingly, Nigeria still has one of the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rates of between 20 and 23 per cent of nursing mothers,” he said.

Kizito also decried situation where some people viewed breastfeeding as old fashioned, a development which, he said, had been trending on the social media.

He attributed the low rate of breastfeeding in the country to lack of proper education and enlightenment on the importance of breastfeeding to both the mother and the child.

Kizito added that insufficient maternity leave by some employers had also significantly impacted negatively on the ability of many mothers to practise breastfeeding.

This, he said, had given room to some nursing mothers to opt for milk formula as an alternative to breastfeeding, adding that fathers should encourage their wives on breastfeeding, regardless of their socio-economic status.

Kizito said the child’s nutrition for the first 1,000 days of his life was very crucial, as it would protect such child from common causes of under-five mortality such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia, among others.

“There is interplay between malnutrition and breast milk because it is the first nutrition a baby gets that sets him for good nutrition status in future.

“There is also a synergetic role between a nutritional status, diseases and infection. If a child’s nutritional status is optimal, he will have less illness and frequent hospitalisation.

“Breast milk is the best and most nutritious food an infant can ever get; hence it is important that everyone supports and encourages breastfeeding at every level.

“It provides everything that a child requires in terms of quality and quantity to guarantee growth and development for the first six months; it improves cognitive ability and it is available and economical,’’ he said.

The consultant said that the expectation was for every child to be breastfed exclusively for six months while complimentary feeding continues for two years, with adequate nutritious feeding.

He listed some of the benefits of breastfeeding to include social interaction and bonding between the children and their mothers, protection of mother from post-partum haemorrhage, helping in child spacing and prevention of breast and cervical cancer.

Kizito said that key indicators for health for children were immunisation and exclusive breastfeeding, adding that studies had shown that countries where this was well implemented achieved better output economically.

He called on government to strengthen primary health centres across the country to provide quality antenatal services, adding that government policies on maternity leave should cover the whole period of exclusive breastfeeding.

The consultant also suggested that public and private organisations should be mandated to establish crèches to encourage breastfeeding.

The post Breast sagging not associated with breastfeeding – Expert appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Umar disclosed this in Kano on Monday during a two-day media dialogue on breastfeeding organised by the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with UNICEF to commemorate 2018 breastfeeding week.

He said the figure was based on the 2016/2017 MIX survey conducted in the country.

He also disclosed that only 15.5 per cent of mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding, with complementary feeding at 27.1 per cent in the state.

The official regretted that poor breastfeeding practice accounted for poor development and growth among infants.

According to him, the statistics also indicated that acute malnutrition in the state rose from 17 per cent in 2008 to 41 per cent in 2013, while cases of stunting also increased from 34 per cent to 62 percent, within same period.

He added that inadequate food provision, diseases and unhealthy environment and inadequate access to health services were identified as some of the causes of malnutrition.

“Nursing mothers should not wash away the first thick yellowish milk during early initiation of breastfeeding.

“Early initiation commences within the first hour of delivery.

“The practice enhances brain development and healthy growth of the infant,” he said.

The post Only 12.8% mothers practice early breastfeeding in Jigawa – Official appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Abimiku made the statement in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday and stressed that a new born child must be given breast milk exclusively irrespective of the mother’s career.

“It is good to know that every woman can breastfeed successfully and it is also good to know that breast milk is the best food when we look at the nutritional values.

“The comfort that comes with it when we look at the healthy component that makes breast milk the best possible start we can give our young ones.

“So, every child should be provided with breast milk and that is a matter of right because every child has a right to good nutrition and good health.

“Every mother has a responsibility to breastfeed her child.

“So, it is a matter of right and we believe that breastfeeding is another way of ensuring that the future generation is not only healthy but is prepared to meet the challenges that come with modern living,’’ Abimiku said.

She said that protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals, water and vitamins were some of the nutritional components in breast milk that enhanced healthy growth in children.

The professor pointed out that breast milk contained anti-bodies that protect the body from infections like pneumonia.

“We also have diarrhoea that comes into the body and you find the child reacting to it or having rashes or even later on in life he/she may develop things like asthma.

“Breast milk can prevent all that and we know that childhood cancer can be prevented through breastfeeding.

“This advantage we see is not limited to the child alone. The child gets a lot of food for him to grow,’’ she said.

Abimiku further said that the bond between the mother and the child was usually determined through the act of breastfeeding.

She said that the act usually helped the child’s growth and enabled him or her to relate socially with other members of the family and community in a healthy manner.

The expert further explained that the love of community, society, family and country usually stemmed from the bond associated with the mother’s breastfeeding of the child.

She added that apart from the child, mothers also benefited when breastfeeding their babies.

“Breastfeeding helps the mother to regain her normal shape after child birth.

“During pregnancy, she is likely to add some weight but when she is breastfeeding that weight is converted to energy for the child.

“So, you discover that a woman breastfeeding exclusively, like we are recommending without water or any other food for the first six months, will regain her normal beautiful shape before she became pregnant.

“Again, breastfeeding helps to protect the mother from blood loss after child birth; this is so because when a woman breastfeeds, it helps the uterus to contract and expel the placenta.

“If the placenta is not expelled, that woman will continue to bleed and blood lost can compromise her health and life,’’ Abimiku said.

She said breastfeeding was not costly as parents did not need to go out to buy it.

Abimiku also said HIV positive mothers could exclusively breastfeed their babies with the help of anti-retroviral drugs.

She explained that transmitting the virus from mother to child during delivery was 40 per cent possible if adequate care was not taken.

She said anti-retroviral drug was the only solution to suppressing the virus and that the mother must adhere to prescriptions to be able to breastfeed her baby exclusively.

“It has been proven that a mother can transmit HIV to her child even during pregnancy, child birth or the period of breastfeeding and if she is not given anything at all to prevent this transmission,

“She is placed on highly active anti-retroviral drug which is able to bring down the number of virus in the blood and helps transmission rate fall drastically.

“The child is also placed on prophylaxis for six weeks from the day of delivery and this serves as anti-retroviral for the new-born,’’ she said.

The post Baby has right to be breastfed — Expert appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Titus Gushibet, a Pharmacist and Director of BHELDIN, gave the advice in an interview with our correspondent in Bwari, on occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW).

The Week which is being celebrated every year from August 1 to 7 globally has the theme “Sustaining breastfeeding together.”

He said that the call becAme imperative because of need to promote the benefits of breastfeeding in the sustenance of child survival.

According to him, it is important to educate women to imbibe breastfeeding, because it is not only nature’s plan and choice of lifestyle, but also the right of the child.

“Breast milk is the best food for babies.

“It helps in regaining process of body structure; therefore the need for women to breastfeed and promote well being of their children.

“Poor breastfeeding practice contributes to infant and maternal mortality, the value of breastfeeding cannot be emphasised.

“Breastfeeding provides critical nutrients and protection from deadly diseases, such as pneumonia and can also foster growth and early development in children.

“Educating women about breastfeeding will help to ensure both child and maternal survival, because women need to constantly breastfeed their babies for the first six months after delivery,” Gushibet said.

Phamacist urged the three tiers of government to create awareness about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, to ensure healthy living conditions for both new born babies and mothers.

The director described breastfeeding as the cheapest, available, affordable and most convenient way to feed a child for greater health benefits.

He identified some benefits of breastfeeding to also include protection from disease, provision of nutrients to new born and prevention of malnutrition.

BHELDIN is an Abuja-based NGO whose activities are geared toward creating awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the community.

The post NGO seeks proper education of women on exclusive breastfeeding appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Buhari said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2017 World Breastfeeding Week where she inaugurated the Breast-feeding Advocacy Initiative with theme: “Sustaining Breastfeeding Together”.

Our correspondent reports that event was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with the UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Others are; Clinton Health Access Initiative, Save the Children and their support partners such as the Future Assured initiative of Buhari.

The wife of the president was represented by Dr Hajo Sani, her Senior Special Assistant on Administration.

It was reported that Buhari is also instrumental to championing the cause of exclusive breastfeeding among women in the country.

She, who participated in the official launch of National Strategy for Infant and Young child feeding in Nigeria, 2016 to 2020.

She explained that the initiative was aimed at providing platforms for stakeholders to promote, protect and support exclusive breastfeeding in achieving sustainable development goals.

The wife of the president called on the employers of labour to create convenient day care centres, in their respective, workplaces for the nursing mothers to enable them breastfeed their babies.

She said, ‘‘Employers in Nigeria should create an enabling environment for breastfeeding mothers through the provision of day care centres and breastfeeding room in workplaces.

“They (nursing mothers) should have flexible working hours because many mothers want to breastfeed for longer time than they are currently doing”.

Buhari said that, if such policies were implemented, it would go a long way in assisting nursing mothers to properly breastfeed their babies.

The wife of the President said her programme also provided platform for stakeholders to tackle malnutrition in the country.

“I use my Future Assured Programme as a platform to play important role with other stakeholders to make difference in the prevention of all forms of malnutrition as well as reducing maternal and infant mortality.’’

She commended Global Breastfeeding Collective for raising awareness on the importance of breastfeeding for the growth of newborn babies.

It was reported that Aug. 1, has been set side every year to mark the World Breastfeeding Week.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report says breast milk helps to prevent pneumonia and diarrhea diseases among children under five.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria accounts for only 17 per cent of countries that adopt exclusive breastfeeding.

The post President’s Wife canvasses exclusive breastfeeding to ensure healthy babies appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

This is for such babies get colostrum, which will guard them against infections.

Oludara made the call while speaking with our correspondent in Lagos on the activities marking the 2017 World Breastfeeding Week.

According to her, colostrum, the first milk that comes out once a mother gives birth, is regarded as a child’s first immunisation.

She spoke with our correspondent on the sidelines of Annual Media Forum on Family Planning/Child Spacing organised by the Development Communications Network (Devcoms).

The occasion was in collaboration with the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) and the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMOH).

The theme for 2017 World Breastfeeding day is: “Sustaining Breastfeeding-Together”.

Oludara said, “Every nursing mother should exclusively breastfeed the baby from birth to up to six months.

“The colostrum, the first milk that comes out once a mother gives birth, must be given to the child because that is the first immunisation the child takes.

“Colostrum is a clear, thick and sticky liquid produced by a mother’s mammary glands after a child’s birth

“It is a God-given immunisation, packed with natural antibodies and nutrients; it prevents the child from infections, diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomforts.’’

“Colostrum is produced in small quantity for the first four days and then replaced with a lighter and thinner liquid

“It should not be pressed out; it gives the baby a chance to fight against bacteria, parasites and disease causing pathogens.

“There is also misconception that it colostrum dirty, it is not.

“The colour and thickness of colostrum are due to the fact that it is rich in protein and carbohydrate, has low sugar content and fat, compared to other milks”, she said.

Oludara further urged nursing mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively for six months before introducing complementary feeding.

“Mothers should breast feed their babies exclusively for six months after which complementary feeding should start, alongside breastfeeding.

“Complementary feeding is just the introduction of adult diet to the child.

“Continue to breastfeed the child till the child is two years at least, so that the child’s cognitive development will be perfect and the child will mature well.

“Breastfeeding also increases mother to child bonding.’’

Our correspondent reports that World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is celebrated annually from August 1 to August 7, to create awareness on the importance of breast feeding newborn.

The post Breastfeed your babies soon after delivery, expert advises nursing mothers appeared first on NEWSVERGE.