Nigeria Association of Women Journalists,(NAWOJ), Enugu State chapter, has partnered a pharmaceutical company, Real Pharmaceutical Ltd, on a One-Day sensitisation programme on exclusive breastfeeding, with a call on nursing mothers to exclusively feed their babies for a healthy development.
At the event held on Thursday, at the General Hospital, Uwani, Enugu, a medical expert , Deputy-Director, Nursing Services/ matron at the Ante-natal unit of the hospital, Igweagu Josephine Chinenye, in a keynote address, said that exclusive breastfeeding enables babies to develop properly.
She said: “A child, who is exclusively breastfed, has good character. Economically, mothers who breastfeed their babies , save money for their spouses. Breast milk is natural, you don’t buy it. When you breastfeed, you should eat healthy.
” Breastfeeding makes a mother to be bonded with her child. It is breastfeeding that makes you a mother. It is what makes the baby bonded with you.
“When you breastfeed a child, he or she appreciates you. He or she raises his or her head to say, mother, thank you. I appreciate. We encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies. The breast milk is nutritous, it is natural. Breastfeeding does not make the breast to fall” Igweagu said.
Speaking on the Theme, “Stepping up Breastfeeding”, Business Manager ,Reals Pharmaceutical Ltd, , Lucky Nwajei, said exclusive breastfeeding is beneficial to both the mother and the baby. “It is a clarion call to individuals. Mothers should breastfeed their babies exclusively for six months.
Nwajei cautioned against feeding babies on infant formula, noting babies could pick disease fro dirty feeding bottle.
He explained that exclusive breastfeeding lowers child mortality rate. He also spoke on the drug produced by his company to help mothers who do not lactate
.”Tthe Mothers who do not lactate, do not do exclusive breastfeeding. That’s why we produced this drug, mamalat , to help women produce breast milk for their babies.. It provides prolactin hormone. Prolactin hormone produces breast milk .
“The body needs to prepare for breastfeeding. Basically, breast milk is more than 70 per cent water,.It is highly nutritious . The feeding from zero age to six months should be solely on breast milk.. it’s exclusive.,” Nwajie said.
In her presentation, the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Comrade Ngozi Ngene, stressed the need for nursing mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies from age 0 to 6months. She said that “breastfeeding is beneficial to mothers.
“Every mother should breastfeed her baby , exclusive breastfeeding for better growth. Government, workplaces, should create a place where nursing mothers will go and breastfeed their babies from time to time ,” Ngene said..
The NAWOJ chairperson disclosed that the sensitisation was organised in commemoration of the World’s Breastfeeding week. She thanked Reals Pharmaceuticals LTD for partnering NAWOJ.
Ngene appealed to.nursing mothers to always breastfeed their babies. She also appealed to mothers to say no to female mutilation , saying that it is a harmful practice against the female child.
Some mothers who breastfeed their babies exclusively spoke at the event. Uzoma Juliet, advised mothers to be breast feeding their babies always, when they are hungry. She told mothers to be feeding well so that they can breastfeed their babies well
Another mother, Nwakpo Blessing said exclusive breastfeeding makes babies to be intelligent.
A nursing mother, Jessica Okolie said, “My experience in breastfeeding my baby exclusively is good. It increases my bond with my baby. It makes her gain weight.”
On her part, Ugoma Chinelo said breastfeeding makes the baby to develop well. She urged mothers to always breast feed their babies well and exclusively. She also told them to always eat well.
She thanked the management and staff of Real Pharmacy for partnering NAWOJ in organising the event.
The event was in commemoration of the world breastfeeding day.
