Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan inaugurated an exhibition as part of ‘World Breastfeeding Week’ on the premises of Government Rajaji Hospital here on Wednesday.
Speaking to the press, Ms Jeevan said that giving breastmilk to an infant for 1,000 days after birth is essential for its healthy growth. “Awareness of its importance is being widely taken out by Anganwadi workers through door-to-door inspections and via awareness posters,” she said, a few of which were released as part of the event.
Further, she said that action is being taken swiftly in cases related to women and children to protect their rights, as per Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s directions. “Children forced into begging and prostitution are rescued and are being accommodated in child care centres:, said the Minister.
“Dropouts due to poverty and family issues have been widely identified as the cause for increase in juvenile crimes. To curb this, we are giving counselling to minors as well as their parents to bring them back on to the mainstream,” she said.
Steps will be taken jointly by Departments of Education and Social Welfare to inspect private hostels soon to prevent any untowards incidents from happening.
The exhibition comprised a range of information on a balanced diet chart for mothers and babies, healthy foods that mothers must have during prenatal and antenatal care and what they should clearly avoid etc. A game of snake and ladder with do’s and don’ts facts during pregnancy was an attraction point.
Stalls displayed a variety of foods prepared from the nutritious food mixture provided by the State government, such as pakoda, laddu, upma, poori, paniyaram etc.,
“This is to encourage women to spin out a variety of possibilities from the ‘sathu maavu’ provided to mothers since confirmation of pregnancy until the child completes 3 years,” said T. Jothi, Child Development Project Officer.
Data
According to official data, out of the 1,225 total deliveries performed in GRH in July, 689 were normal while 536 were through caesarean section , including 30 twins.
“We are keen to initiate breastfeeding within 30 minutes of delivery, for both normal and caesarean. When babies are given colostrum, the first milk produced by a mother, it helps to increase the mother-baby bonding, boost immunological factors and reduce risks of breast cancer etc.,” said Dr. Jothi Sundaram, an obstetrician-gynecologist at GRH.
They also advise the birth companion, (preferably their partners), to be present while the breastfeeding is initiated. “Breastfeeding can continue until the baby turns five while weaning food can be given upon the baby turning 6 months old,” she noted.
“Awareness among elders is essential as death of one or two infants is reported every month at GRH due to milk aspiration”, added Ms Sundaram.
Madurai (South) MLA M. Boominathan, Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar, Mayor Indrani Pon Vasanth, Corporation Commissioner Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and others were present
(Childline operates a toll free helpline 1098 for children in distress across the country)
