By Arvind Savant
The best start in your child life is to give good nurturing, nourishment & loving care. Breastfeeding provides babies with the best start in life. It is the best source of nutrition, boosting brain development with lifelong benefits for mother and baby.
It is critical for a child’s growth and development and contributes significantly to their sense of security & bonding with the mother.
The recommendation of Indian Academy of Pediatrics ,Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months , introduction of nutritionally adequate & safe complementary feeds at six months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years & beyond, offer a powerful defense against infection, malnutrition & boosts brain development in a child.
Every year World Breastfeeding week is celebrated globally from 1st August to 7th August to generate awareness to the mother, family members, support groups & society.
This year theme is” Prioritize Breastfeeding, create sustainable support systems”. But the data from NFHS-5 is quite disheartening, National data revealed that 88.6%, women deliver in hospitals, only 41.8% able to begin breastfeeding within an hour of birth, 63.7% breastfed exclusively during 0 to 6 months, and 45.9% received timely complementary feeds after 6-8 months & 11.1% received adequate diet during 6-23 months of life.
Breast milk is the best gift a mother can give her child. Colostrum in the first 3 days of delivery has been called as the “First Immunization” to child because it contains maximum amount of antibodies, boosts immunity , gives natural protection from many diseases, 22% of neonatal mortality because of not starting breastfeeding within 1st hour & not continuing exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.
Breast milk is the perfect food for a normal new born. It contains all the nutrients for normal growth & development of a baby from time of birth to 6 months of life. No liquids or solids, not even water is to be given to an infant who is on exclusive breastfeeding.
WHO & UNICEF recommend that to all new born we should initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. It builds special bond with mother & increases IQ level, prevents malnutrition and obesity, easily digested, ready & potable, and saves time & money. It reduces risk to mother breast & ovarian cancer, helps in involution of uterus, helps to restore pre-pregnant figure.
It is the responsibility of the society & support groups, healthcare professionals such as nurses & doctors to help mothers and kids in all possible manners. Mother must receive accurate information, counseling & support at home, in medical facilities & at work to confidently breastfeed whenever required.
(The author is a Senior Consultant (pediatrics) & Medical Director Sparsh multispecialty hospital, Bhilai and Past president-IAP Chhattisgarh)
