World 2021 breastfeeding week: NGO advocates exclusive breastfeeding for healthy baby living

As Nigeria join the rest of the world to commemorate the World Breastfeeding Week, a non-governmental organisation, Save the Children International has called for increased support for the protection of mothers as well as the creation for an optimal exclusive breastfeeding practice in Nigeria.

In a statement sent on Tuesday by Save the Children International Nigeria’s Media and Communications Manager,
Kunle Olawoyin, the international Organization opined that exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nourishment for infants and young children and a proven lifesaving strategy that helps protect children against several common childhood illnesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

The theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is ‘Protect Breastfeeding, A Shared Responsibility’ with the slogan for Nigeria, “Join Hands! Support Exclusive Breastfeeding”.

“Breastfeeding saves lives. It is one of the cost-effective intervention for the prevention of deaths in children under five years old.

“Colostrum, the first milk a mother produces, is the most potent natural immune system booster known to science; lactating mothers are encouraged to give it to their babies immediately after delivery.

“The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, (starting from conception to age 2) is very important for optimal physical, mental and cognitive growth, health and development; breastfeeding is the first and significant step in ensuring the cognitive development of children

“The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent related World Health Assembly Resolutions recommends that marketing should be guided to ensure breastfeeding of infants and young children isn’t discouraged and the standards and recommendations for breastfeeding should be upheld” he stressed.

Dr Adaeze Oramalu-Ogwuche, Acting Head of Health and Nutrition, Save the Children International Nigeria said, “Breastfeeding week is one of the greatest outreach vehicles for the promotion of optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices to other network of influencers (fathers, religious/traditional rulers, institutions and Private sector) as they contribute to the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Nigeria.

She stressed the importance to continue to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and to also promote exclusive breastfeeding so as to improve the health of babies and mothers across the world and in Nigeria.

According to SCI, this year’s celebration is another opportunity for the collaboration of various stakeholders, interest group including religious/traditional rulers and private sector to contribute to improving Nigeria’s Exclusive Breastfeeding rates in the country.

“Economic benefits of breastfeeding to families and society at large cannot be overemphasized. Through our programmes, we will continue to support breastfeeding mothers and encourage their families to support them.

“We are advocating for governments at all levels to create enabling environments for lactating mothers by building crèches in workplaces and implementing policies that will support exclusive breastfeeding for six months” said Shannon Ward, Acting Country Director, Save the Children International Nigeria.

The World Breastfeeding Week (1st-7th August 2021) aims to highlight the huge benefits that breastfeeding can bring to both the health and welfare of babies, as well as a wider push for maternal health, focusing on good nutrition, poverty reduction and food supply.