Exclusive breastfeeding has been identified as a key factor in boosting the immune and health system of women and children.
This was disclosed by the Chairperson of the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists in an exclusive interview with BONews Service in commemoration of the World Breastfeeding Week 2020, with the theme “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”
Comrade Ekine explained that breastfeeding is germane to promote the optimal health of newborns, infants, and mothers.
She said, “The only gift a mother could give her newborn baby is by Breastfeeding them. There is simply no replacement to the lifelong benefits of mother’s milk, and every effort to protect and promote this should be undertaken.”
“Breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and child and also reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and postpartum depression in mothers.
“However, according to experts, women who breastfeed for one year or longer are 28% less likely to develop ovarian cancer, while those with a cumulative lactation history of 12 to 23 months had a significantly reduced risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
“Breastfeeding, no matter how long a woman can do it, is beneficial for both mother and child. Encouraging women to breastfeed when possible is invaluable and requires a multidisciplinary approach from families, communities, healthcare providers, lactation support staff, and governmental assistance agencies,”
Ekine urged mothers not to subscribe to the use of breast milk alternatives.
She also urged employers to make the workplace comfortable and friendly for lactating mothers, stressing that work is one of the excuses women give as the reason to stop breastfeeding.