With the inauguration of a dedicated mothers’ milk bank at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital and a separate feeding room, in the Central Bus Stand, the city seems to be taking the goal of this year’s Breastfeeding Week (August 1 to 7) of reaching out to working women rather seriously.
The motto of the 2015 campaign is ‘Breastfeeding and work – Let’s make it work!’
The initiatives assume added importance in Tamil Nadu where breastfeeding rates were among the lowest in the country, according to a recent survey by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau.
The resumption of professional work by mothers after delivery is “one of the biggest impediments to successful feeding,” Dr. K. Ramanathan, paediatrician, told The Hindu .
“More workplace facilities are needed to give nursing mothers some privacy. The alternative is for mothers to express (pump) their milk for later use,” he said.
More allowance should be made to accommodate nursing mothers who are full-time professionals contractually and at work, said Dr. Kingsley Jebakumar, a city paediatrician.
“Almost all mothers get off work for three months. The government employees have six months’ leave with pay. Institutions such as colleges and IT industries which employ many young women must be made to provide a crèche in their premises to facilitate breastfeeding frequently and promote mother-baby bonding,” he said.
“Breastfed children are known to have a higher intelligence quotient (IQ) later in life, and gain natural immunity against asthma, allergies, and common infections,” said Dr. Ramanathan. It is beneficial for the mother too.
“The mother’s uterus returns to its normal size when she breastfeeds, and the process helps her bond better with the child,” he said.
“Breast milk that is secreted in the first four days is called colostrum. It is very rich in immunoglobulins and other factors that protect the newborn baby. The protein composition as whey and casein is ideal for digestion,” said Dr. Kingsley.
Despite its many benefits, an urbanised lifestyle has made many women discontinue breastfeeding at the earliest, and quite often it is their mothers and husbands who are urging them to do so, said the physicians.
“The awareness among working mothers of the importance of breastfeeding has increased in the last decade.
But every time the baby cries, the young mother is asked to feed. If the crying is not related to hunger, the baby will not suck. The mother is told she has insufficient milk. This makes her feel depressed and inadequate and breastfeeding fails,” said Dr. Kinglsey.
Safe for mothers too
Breastfeeding is safe for most mothers, provided they consume a nutritious diet rich in fluids.
“There are very few contraindications for breastfeeding,” said Dr. Ramanathan.
“Mothers who are HIV-positive, who are undergoing chemotherapy, or have tuberculosis, are exempt from breastfeeding. But it is okay for mums with cold or fever to feed their babies, because the child will gain some immunity,” he added.
World Breastfeeding Week was first celebrated in 1992 by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and is now observed in over 120 countries by UNICEF World Health Organisation and their partners.
