Family support key to breastfeeding
DAR ES SALAAM: THE public has been urged to embrace breastfeeding as a shared responsibility, with families encouraged to support mothers to ensure babies receive the healthiest start in life through safe and successful breastfeeding.
Speaking during a radio programme held as part of the National World Breastfeeding Week celebrations in Tanga, the Assistant Director of Nutrition Services, Ms Neema Joshua, said fathers, relatives and caregivers have a vital role in creating a supportive environment that enables mothers to breastfeed successfully.
She urged family members to provide mothers with a calm environment, help with household chores and offer emotional support, saying family involvement is a key pillar in ensuring children receive the best possible start in life.
“When mothers receive adequate support, they are more likely to breastfeed successfully, helping their babies grow well and remain protected against illnesses because breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for newborns,” Ms Joshua said.
She explained that exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life lays a critical foundation for a child’s healthy growth, nutrition and immunity, providing all the nutrients and water an infant needs during that period.
Ms Joshua said the first breast milk, known as colostrum, is rich in antibodies that protect newborns from diseases at a time when their immune systems are not yet fully developed.
“A baby should be exclusively breastfed for the first six consecutive months because the body is not yet capable of digesting or processing any food other than breast milk,” she said.
According to Ms Joshua, exclusive breastfeeding allows a baby’s digestive system to develop properly before complementary foods are introduced at six months.
She cautioned that introducing foods before six months exposes infants to diseases and digestive complications because their organs are still immature and not ready to process foods other than breast milk.
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, breastfeeding is one of the most effective interventions for improving child survival and health.
The two organisations recommend initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, exclusively breastfeeding infants for the first six months and continuing breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary foods until the age of two years or beyond.
Health experts say exclusive breastfeeding protects babies against diarrhoea, pneumonia and other infectious diseases, which remain among the leading causes of child mortality.
For mothers, breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, supports postpartum recovery and strengthens the bond between mother and child.
