As the world marks 2019 World Breastfeeding week, the Chief Medical Director, University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oluwole Ige said Nursing mothers must be aware of the importance of breastfeeding.
Dr Ige who declared this in an interview with The Hope in Ondo said evidence has shown that optimal nutrition provided by breastfeeding along with nurturing care and stimulation strengthens children’s brain development adding that it is an impact that endure over a lifetime.
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He recommended a family-friendly policy to government for working parents where mothers need time off from work to recover from birth.
He added that breastfeeding promotes better health for mothers and children, it decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease adding that increased breastfeeding could avert 20,000 maternal deaths each year.
Earlier, a Consultant Neonatology, Dr. Tolu Ogundele advocated for a greater investments in comprehensive breastfeeding programme, improved breastfeeding programme, counseling, support women in health facilities and community.
She said WHO and UNICEF have called on governments and employers to adopt family-friendly policy with paid maternity leave for a minimum of 18weeks and preferably for the period of six months as well as paid paternity leaves.
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