Men urged to support their women breastfeed

Aug 10, 2012

As we concluded the breast feeding week yesterday some of the challenges highlighted was that fewer women today were exclusively breast feeding their children, a trend that is worrying.


By John Agaba and Norah Mutesi


Men have been urged to support their women breast feed.

As we concluded the breast feeding week yesterday some of the challenges highlighted was that fewer women today were exclusively breast feeding their children, a trend that is worrying.

The breast feeding week started on Wednesday (August 1st) and ended yesterday.  During the week emphasis was on the need for breastfeeding, how to breastfeed, and how working mothers can juggle between breastfeeding and their careers.
Experts noted that women today were increasingly neglecting breastfeeding their babies in favour of formula milk, which is not as nutritious and suitable for babies.

According to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey of 2006, about 60% of Ugandan women exclusively breastfeed for six months. However, most working mothers do not breastfeed their babies.

Dr. Jolly Nankunda, a paediatrician at Mulago Hospital said today many mothers don’t want to breastfeed because they feel they are modern and want to keep their breasts firm, yet others have tight work schedules.

“But there is nothing more important than a woman’s breast to her child,’’ Dr. Nankunda said. “The boobs are the baby’s first choice.’’

According to experts, babies who don’t breastfeed are more likely to be obese, stunted, poor performers in class and prone to illnesses.

“Currently pneumonia is the leading killer of babies in Uganda but breast milk has the nutrients that can boost the baby’s immunity,’’ according to Dr. Nankunda.

Away from babies, Nankunda added that mothers too who breastfeed were less likely to develop certain cancers especially cancers of the ovaries, notwithstanding the bond that exists when a mother breastfeeds her baby.

Dr. Nankunda said women need to exclusively breast feed their babies for the first six months, and then keep breastfeeding them till they are about two years old and even more.

Dr. Jane Achan, the president of the paediatrician association in Uganda said breast feeding is essential even for babies born to HIV-positive mothers. She called on men to be supportive.

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