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World Breastfeeding Week – August 1 to 7

Breastfeeding The first step to lifelong wellness

by damith
July 27, 2025 1:06 am 0 comment 40 views

By Carol Aloysius

With Breastfeeding Week soon to be observed, all health officials from a range of skills including nursing care and nutrition will focus their attention to support and help newborn infants develop their immunity and congnitive skills to their optimum level.

While the consensus of opinion today is that breast milk is the best and most perfect milk for the newborn and contains all the ingredients for the child’s growth and development, this important message has yet to reach some segments of our largely rural population in Sri Lanka.Myths and wrong beliefs about breastfeeding have also posed challenges to those doing their best to promote breastfeeding across the country.

The Sunday Observer sought the help of Consultant Neonatologist, University Unit, De Soysa Maternity Hospital for Women, and Professor in Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Colombo Nishani Lucas, to find out more about the benefits of breastfeeding both for the baby and the mother, and to field questions on how best to feed an infant and recognise signs of a well fed and content baby. Following are excerpts from the interview with Prof. Lucas.

Q. Breastfeeding Week is usually observed from August 1-7. What is breast feeding and why is it important for a whole week to be set aside to discuss it?

A. Breastfeeding is feeding mother’s milk to her own baby. Breastfeeding has been identified as the number one intervention for preventing infant deaths under 5 years according to Lancet 2003. Breastfeeding is the cornerstone of giving the baby a good start to life with less chance of cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and infection. The breastfeeding week is set out to increase awareness among all sectors to maximise the chances that babies receive their own mother’s breast milk exclusively for 6 months and continue for at least 2 years.

Q. What are its benefits 1) to the baby 2) the mother?

A. The baby will be smarter and healthier. Breast milk increases IQ by 7-10 points. Breastfed babies have a higher volume of white matter with increased synaptic formation. Breast milk improves immunity, and reduces the risk of allergy and non communicable disease; it introduces healthy bacteria to the gut, reduces infection during the first 2 years of life, reduces the risk of eczema, hay fever and asthma, and reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and immune mediated disease for life. Mothers who breastfeed will have a 40 percent lower risk for breast cancer and also lower risk for uterine and ovarian cancers. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of bone disease, depression, anemia and obesity in the mother. Furthermore, breastfeeding improves the bonding between the mother and the child.

Q. It has also been said that breast milk can reduce risks of rising infections such as ear, respiratory illness and diarrhoea among newborn babies ? Do you agree?

A. Yes. Several studies have proven that breast milk reduces the risk of respiratory illness by 72 percent, diarrhoea by 64 percent and ear infection by 50 percent.

Q. I understand that research has found that it can also lower risk of chronic diseases later in life such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Your comments.

A. Yes this is true. Breastfeeding results in the 1.3 fold reduction in leukemia in children. It also reduces the risk of obesity by 26 percent, type 1diabetes by 39 percent, type 2 diabetes by 27 percent.

Q. Cognitive Development studies have also suggested that breast fed babies may have a slightly higher IQ scores and better cognitive development . Your comments?

A. Yes this is correct, the breast fed baby has 7-10 higher IQ in addition to more advanced development.

Q. Gynaecologists have said that breast feeding also helps the uterine to contract after childbirth reducing post partum haemorrhage risks. Do you agree?

A. Yes this is correct.

Q. Both UNICEF and the WHO have also emphasised the role that breast feeding plays in promoting bonding and attachment between mother and baby. What is your take on this?

A. In addition to a bigger and faster brain as mentioned above, the baby also receives a rich sensory experience from breastfeeding where he/she hears, smells, feels, sees and tastes at the same time.

Q. A question that many new mothers ask is ‘How do I hold my baby while nursing? Are there some guidelines that have been drawn up with images by the Ministry of Health to help them?

A. Yes. There are guidelines by the WHO as well as by the Ministry of Health with graphical representation. These are shared with the mothers and these techniques are demonstrated during the antenatal classes. Furthermore all mothers delivering in state hospitals are supported by the staff to initiate breastfeeding soon after birth, within the first hour of life and are individually taught to hold and attach their baby to the breast to enable the successful establishment of breastfeeding.

Q. New mothers are also worried if their babies are getting enough milk. What are the indications that show if the baby is getting sufficient milk while nursing? Number of wet and dirty diapers?

A. All babies lose upto 10 percent of their weight during the first week and are expected to regain their birth weight by the 2nd week of life. Gradual reduction in weight loss followed by gradual weight gain and growth along the growth curve in the child health development record (CHDR) is the gold standard indicator for adequacy of breastfeeding. Baby should pass urine once a day on day 1, twice on day 2, frequency equal to the day of age until day 6 after which baby should have 6 or more wet nappies per day. Stool frequency is extremely variable in breastfed babies and can vary from infant to infant.

Q. What is the sign of a well fed baby?

A. A well fed baby will be content and will let go of the breast once the tummy is full and go to sleep. They sleep a minimum of 1.5 hours between feeds when adequately fed.

Q. When should a new mother start breastfeeding her baby? Immediately after birth or later?

A. The baby should be breastfed usually within the first hour of birth, while in the delivery room or theatre. The baby should be fed when the baby displays hunger cues i.e., licking lips, looking around, sucking hands etc soon after birth. Hunger cues may be observed soon after or within a few minutes of birth. The baby should be breastfed with the appearance of hunger cues.

Q. If for some reason a working mother has to return to her workplace earlier than the 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding recommended by the WHO and UNICEF, can she still continue to give the infant her own milk after returning from work? How can she store it?

A. Yes she should continue to give her own milk even after returning to work. She can start building a store of expressed breast milk about 2 weeks before the date of returning to work. Breast milk should be stored in the freezer section of the refrigerator in a separate plastic box. Milk should be expressed into a plastic / stainless steel container with a wide mouth with a well fitting lid that can also be used as a cup to feed the baby. Label each container with time and date, so that milk is used in the order of date of expression.

Q. What if someone else’s breast milk is given to the baby? Will it cause complications?

A. Breast milk is a body fluid similar to blood. Giving someone else’s milk carries the risk of transmitting blood borne infections like HIV like in the case of a blood transfusion. Also breast milk is made specific to the baby’s age and gestation. If the other person has a more mature or an older child, the breast milk will not be nutritionally adequate for the younger baby.

Q. It is common to hear many mothers complain that their milk is not coming and there is only a trickle of substance (Colostomy) that precedes the actual breast milk. As many mothers don’t know the importance of this substance, could you tell them what it is and why it is so important in providing the anti-bodies the infant needs for its developing immunology?

A. Colostrum is the first few drops of milk which are very rich in proteins, especially immunoglobulins.

Q. Infectious diseases like dengue and chikungunya as well as chicken pox are on the rise now in Sri Lanka. Should mothers who are being treated for these diseases with vaccines be allowed to breastfeed their infants?

A. Mothers with these diseases should continue to feed their babies, as the antibodies formed in the mother due to disease or due to the vaccine will be transmitted to the baby via breast milk, thereby protecting the baby from these diseases.

Q. Most nutritionists today recommend that nursing mothers need to have a balanced diet to help them produce more milk for their baby. In a country where we have an abundance of local fruit and vegetables, could you recommend a few that could make up a healthy meal for these mothers?

A. The mother should be provided a balanced meal, to the mothers liking with vegetables, fruits and proteins of her choosing with plenty of water to remain hydrated while continuing to breastfeed.

Q. The theme for Breastfeeding Week 2025 chosen by the World Alliance for Breast Feeding Action WABA) is “ Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems” . Do you think it is well chosen due to the large majority of our mothers being from the informal and formal sectors?

A. Yes, I believe it is well chosen as both groups of mothers need support in their place of work, community to continue breastfeeding. It is not uncommon for other family members, friends, neighbours and the community as a whole to put pressure on the mother to start formula feeds due to myths, misconceptions and misleading advertisements. Therefore it is vital to focus on creating sustainable systems to support breastfeeding as it is difficult for the mother to succeed by herself.

Q. Despite our high standards of literacy many working mothers still cling to wrong beliefs and superstitions with regard to breastfeeding such as not giving a young girl who has attained menarche the high protein high calorie diet she needs. How would you like to fill these gaps to help young mothers to reap optimum benefits from breast milk?

A. Up to date health education is shared with the mothers by the public health midwife who visits their homes and the medical officer of health (MOH) in the well baby clinics. Antenatal classes held by the local MOH and the state hospitals provide updated information with regard to the benefits as well as of techniques of breastfeeding.

The main reason that many mothers cling to wrong beliefs are that they do not attend any of these clinics and seek obstetric care solely in the private sector, where there aren’t any comparable programs to deliver updated knowledge.

Q. What is your message for our readers out there, especially working mothers during Breastfeeding Week ?

A. Dear mothers, you are the only person who could breastfeed your child. Dear family members, most importantly, dear father, please support your partner emotionally during this challenging period. Breastfeeding is the best gift you can give your child as a family. Dear fathers, you play a vital role in the success of breastfeeding.

Breastmilk production is governed by the ‘love’ hormone, oxytocin, please support the mother physically and emotionally, help her to build her confidence to breastfeed, help with burping the baby after feeding, changing the nappies and bathing the baby. Family members can help with the household chores to provide mother rest between breastfeeds. Fathers, you play the most important role in being there for the mother and building the mother’s confidence, so she can produce more breast milk and feel good about feeding her baby.

Breastfeeding is a new skill that both mother and baby have to learn, like walking, driving etc. State hospitals and lactation management centers (LMC) are equipped to provide this skilled support. Insist on obtaining skilled support. Say no to formula as it is usually prescribed due to your health care worker not having the necessary skills or the time to support you.

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