Health Care Providers Urged to Improve rate of Breast feeding by Mothers

The importance of breastfeeding as the best way to feed a child has been stressed by seasoned and medical experts.

A Professor of Child health and consultant Pediatrician, Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, UNIBEN/University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, Prof. (Mrs.) A.E Sadoh said the promotion of exclusive breast feeding should be encouraged.

Speaking during a workshop on Lactation Management / Infant and young child feeding organized by the Institute of Child Health and Department of Child Health, UNIBEN/UBTH at the P-ward of the UBTH , Prof. Sadoh harped on the importance of a crèche being built for babies of working mothers in their place of work.

According to her, while storing expressed breast milk, mothers should ensure they use clean containers with a cover and previously stored milk should not be refreeze and given to the child..

Prof. Sadoh who spoke on Breastfeeding in difficult circumstances and Lactation management said health care workers have important roles to play to promote exclusive breast feeding by ensuring that it starts with them.

Also, Prof. C.O Eregie, Professor of Child Health and Consultant Neonatologist, Institute of Child Health, UNIBE/UBTH who spoke on Infant and young child feeding , Baby friendly hospital initiative, noted that the most effective preventive measure against pregnancy and population explosion is exclusive, optimal breast feeding.

While pointing out the need to sensitize the hospitals management on measures to ensure baby friendly steps are taken, such as throwing away feeding bottles and providing a crèche for workers, Prof Eregie noted that there is the need to go back to the drawing board and stop living on past glory.

In his opening remarks, the Director Institute of Child Health UNIBEN/UBTH Dr. Damian Nwaneri reminded all participants that breast milk remains the best food for the baby from delivery up to age of 2 years.

He told the participants that the UBTH is a Baby Friendly Hospital; therefore all the steps at ensuring optimal breastfeeding that are to be highlighted during the training should all be implemented.

According to him, Seasoned and qualified experts in the field of breastfeeding were selected as resource persons in the workshop and he encouraged all participants to put to practice all that will be learnt at the workshop.

The co-host of the workshop; the Head of Department, HOD, Child Health, UBTH, Dr.  Mrs. N. J Iduoriyekemwen encouraged all participants to see the workshop as a wakeup call to implement breastfeeding and to rekindle the spirit of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative of the 1990s.

There was a practical demonstration of breastfeeding by Mrs. T. Eyakwanor, Deputy Director, Public Health Nursing, Institute of Child Health, UNIBEN.

The aim of the workshop was to retrain healthcare providers on the need to improve the breastfeeding rate in Nigeria which currently stands at 29%.