By Kemi Olatunde

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Exclusive breastfeeding has been described as a vital tool in reducing the neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria.

Dr Banke Oluwafemi of UNIMEDTH/ Specialist Hospital, Akure stated this on Tuesday during a symposium organised by the hospital in commemoration of the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week.

While stating that infection, asphyxia, and prematurity are major causes of death in newborns, she noted that breast milk is crucial in preventing diseases in children.

Commenting on the theme of the week: “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All,” she said that the gap can be closed through health workers’ education, retraining, and sensitisation of mothers on exclusive breastfeeding to guarantee the health of the child.

In his lecture on the theme, Dr Olasehinde Bello, while describing breastfeeding as one of the components of a child survival strategy, stated that every child must be breastfed on demand.

He explained that according to WHO and UNICEF, a baby should be introduced to breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, adding that it should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.

According to him, the advantages of breastfeeding include nutrition, anti-infective properties, immunological benefits, laxative effects, hydration, bonding, contraception, reduced risk of breast cancer, and reduced risk of depression.

He added that it also encourages child spacing, offers economic advantages, and reduces pressure on the health system, benefiting both family and community.

In her lecture on “Exclusive Breastfeeding: Key to Optimal Infant Nutrition,” Dtn Bukola Arowolo of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics explained that breast milk contains all the classes of food in appropriate proportions to meet the growth and development needs of babies, adding that it reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

According to her, the challenges of exclusive breastfeeding include lactation difficulties, engorgement, returning to school or work, lactation problems, and anxiety, among others. She called on mothers to seek support from lactation consultants and breastfeeding support groups, discuss flexible work arrangements with their employers, and use breast pumps and storage bags for expressing milk as some of the solutions to the aforementioned challenges.

She called on healthcare providers to encourage exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers, adding that everyone should work together to promote exclusive breastfeeding in society.

She stressed the need for the sensitisation of grandmothers on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and advocated for the inclusion of African leaders in the sensitisation process.