01-08-2014, 02:55 PM
As World Breastfeeding Week kicks off today, the Department of Health has encouraged families, communities and employers to provide a supportive environment for mothers to breastfeed.
“Breastfeeding needs to be protected, promoted and supported by all. Employers, for example, can support breastfeeding mothers by providing at least two breastfeeding breaks, a comfortable room that can be used to breastfeed or to express the milk for the baby,†the department said.
World Breastfeeding Week takes place from 1 to 7 August annually. This year’s theme is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life!†It highlights the importance of promoting breastfeeding to reach Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 to improve maternal and child health.
According to the department, the under-five mortality (MDG 4) can be reduced by about 13% with improved breastfeeding practices alone and 6% with improved complementary feeding.
About 50% - 60% of under-five mortality is linked to malnutrition due to inadequate complementary foods and feeding following on poor breastfeeding practices.
With respect to improved Maternal Health (MDG 5), the department said breastfeeding is associated with decreased maternal postpartum blood loss, decreased rates of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, and the likelihood of bone loss post-menopause.
“The policy of the Department of Health, in line with the World Health Organisation and United Nations Children's Fund, is that mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, moms exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life and introduce appropriate complementary foods from six months onwards, in addition to continuing breastfeeding to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
“HIV positive mothers must also exclusively breastfeed for six months, start with complementary foods and continue to breastfeed for 12 months. The HIV positive mother must be enrolled on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Programme and receive antiretrovirals to prevent the transmission of the virus while breastfeeding,†the department said.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, compared to mixed feeding, has been shown to play a major role in reducing diarrhoea, respiratory infections and allergies.
Breastfed babies also have a lower risk of becoming obese, diabetic, having cancers and heart disease later in life, as well as a lower risk of allergies, asthma, wheezing and rashes.
There are many benefits for mothers too, as breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as osteoporosis and promotes bonding between mothers and their babies.
During a National Breastfeeding Consultative Meeting held in August 2011, South Africa committed to actively promote and support breastfeeding as one of the most effective interventions at improving child health.
South Africa already has 62% of the public health facilities with maternity beds accredited as mother and baby friendly. The aim of this global strategy is to create a healthcare environment where, among others, breastfeeding is the norm.
Babies who are very premature, with low birth weight and newborns that are too ill to suck are at greatest risk of not receiving the lifesaving benefits of breast milk.
Provinces are now scaling-up the establishment of human milk banks. Some of the hospitals that have breast milk banks are Kalafong, Leratong, Far East Rand, Kimberley, Mafikeng, G Morolong, Pelonomi, Greys and Witbank Hospitals, as well as Bloemfontein University. – SAnews.gov.za
“Breastfeeding needs to be protected, promoted and supported by all. Employers, for example, can support breastfeeding mothers by providing at least two breastfeeding breaks, a comfortable room that can be used to breastfeed or to express the milk for the baby,†the department said.
World Breastfeeding Week takes place from 1 to 7 August annually. This year’s theme is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life!†It highlights the importance of promoting breastfeeding to reach Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 to improve maternal and child health.
According to the department, the under-five mortality (MDG 4) can be reduced by about 13% with improved breastfeeding practices alone and 6% with improved complementary feeding.
About 50% - 60% of under-five mortality is linked to malnutrition due to inadequate complementary foods and feeding following on poor breastfeeding practices.
With respect to improved Maternal Health (MDG 5), the department said breastfeeding is associated with decreased maternal postpartum blood loss, decreased rates of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, and the likelihood of bone loss post-menopause.
“The policy of the Department of Health, in line with the World Health Organisation and United Nations Children's Fund, is that mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, moms exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months of life and introduce appropriate complementary foods from six months onwards, in addition to continuing breastfeeding to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
“HIV positive mothers must also exclusively breastfeed for six months, start with complementary foods and continue to breastfeed for 12 months. The HIV positive mother must be enrolled on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Programme and receive antiretrovirals to prevent the transmission of the virus while breastfeeding,†the department said.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, compared to mixed feeding, has been shown to play a major role in reducing diarrhoea, respiratory infections and allergies.
Breastfed babies also have a lower risk of becoming obese, diabetic, having cancers and heart disease later in life, as well as a lower risk of allergies, asthma, wheezing and rashes.
There are many benefits for mothers too, as breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as osteoporosis and promotes bonding between mothers and their babies.
During a National Breastfeeding Consultative Meeting held in August 2011, South Africa committed to actively promote and support breastfeeding as one of the most effective interventions at improving child health.
South Africa already has 62% of the public health facilities with maternity beds accredited as mother and baby friendly. The aim of this global strategy is to create a healthcare environment where, among others, breastfeeding is the norm.
Babies who are very premature, with low birth weight and newborns that are too ill to suck are at greatest risk of not receiving the lifesaving benefits of breast milk.
Provinces are now scaling-up the establishment of human milk banks. Some of the hospitals that have breast milk banks are Kalafong, Leratong, Far East Rand, Kimberley, Mafikeng, G Morolong, Pelonomi, Greys and Witbank Hospitals, as well as Bloemfontein University. – SAnews.gov.za