Breastfeeding key to good health

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Salma Afrose | Published: November 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

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Malnutrition is one of public health problems in our country. Most of our mothers are unaware of the importance of eating nutritious foods while they are expecting baby. Experts said many children suffer from severe malnutrition as most mothers do not have a clear idea about breastfeeding.
Kabir Uddin, aged 15 months, son of Khalequzzaman, resident of Kotagram village in Abhoynagar upazila of Jessore district, had been suffering from different diseases, including diarrhoea, gastrointestinal infection and pneumonia for the last two months. His mother, Resma Akhter, said she fed her baby with breast-milk substitute only during the first two months of his birth.
Health worker (nutrition) of BRAC Sultana Khatun identified the baby and advised his mother to take him to doctor as his sickness turned acute. She advised the mother to give breast milk to her baby for at least two years. She also advised not to give artificial milk to her child till six months of his birth.
The baby's mother said that her lone child started showing improvement following her advice.
According to Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF), the newborn should be given colostrum within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding to newborn for six months. No other foods should be given to the baby up to six months. Then other nutritious home-made foods should be given to babies along with breast milk till two years.        
We can save millions of lives and increase economic opportunity by improving feeding practices and nutrition for infants and young children. Good nutrition is necessary for people to live a healthy and productive life, and is critical to securing long-term social and economic development goals, according to Institute of Public Health (IPH).
Breast milk is the best food of the under-five children for solving their malnutrition. According to an article published in international medical journal "The Lancet (2008)," the death risk of the children who were deprived of breastfeeding during the first six months of their birth is more than those who have been breastfed during the time.
After so many years of our independence, malnutrition still exists in our country. According to BBF, at present the rate of exclusive breastfeeding (which means the infant only receives breast milk without any additional food or drink, not even water) is only 64 per cent, while the rate of feeding supplementary foods after six months is only 21 per cent. Though Bangladesh has achieved much in reducing child and maternal mortality rates, 36 percent of children below five years are under-weight and 41 percent under-height. So, massive campaign is necessary for exclusive breastfeeding.
BBF said at least 31 percent child death is preventable if mothers give breast milk to their newborns within an hour after the birth and 13 per cent child deaths under the age of five can be prevented if exclusive breastfeeding can be ensured.
According to the 2007 BDHS survey, 43% of children are stunted, or too short for their age, 41% of children are underweight, 17% of children are wasted, or too thin for their height and 47% of children are anaemic.
Taking into consideration the importance of breastfeeding,  BRAC took up a programme in 50 upazilas of the country focusing on achieving behavioural change in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) through counselling, coaching and demonstration at household level through trained community health workers.
Through door-to door visits, Shasthya Shebikas and Pushti Kormis (nutrition promoters) counsel, coach and demonstrate mothers of under-2 children on IYCF, assist in solving problems, refer to doctors, if required, and promote the necessity of hand washing before feeding.
BBF Chairperson Dr SK Roy said public awareness is crucial because we have seen that children of the well-off families also suffered from malnutrition. He added that exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age of a baby had a lifelong impact on its health, but there were many men and women who did not care about it.
He emphasised that breastfeeding is an unparalleled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth of infants, even in situations where there are twin infants, or if the mother has a poor state of nutrition.  
"Breastfeeding is very economic for families and does not impose on the household budget in the way BMS (Breast Milk Substitutes) products do", said Dr Roy.
Dr Raisul Haque, Programme Coordinator of BRAC Health Nutrition and Population Programme (HNPP), said: "We along with the government are working to promote breastfeeding both in urban and rural areas for ensuring a sound health for children".
Three essential feeding practices during the first 24 months of life can prevent the impact of poor nutrition that last a lifetime: Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months (180 days), washing hands with soap before preparing food and feeding young children and beginning with the seventh month of life (from six through 23 months of age) feeding babies and children a variety of healthy foods (preferably homemade) in sufficient quantities, along with continued breastfeeding.
We can save millions of lives and increase economic opportunity by improving feeding practices and nutrition for infants and young children. Good nutrition is necessary for people to live a healthy and productive life, and is critical to securing long-term social and economic development goals - such as the Millennium Development Goals, said IPH.
According to clause 3 of Breast Milk Substitutes (Regulation of Marketing) Ordinance, 1984, no person shall make, exhibit, distribute, circulate, display or publish any advertisement regarding breast milk substitute and promote the use of any breast milk substitute or implying or designed to create the belief or impression that breast milk  substitute is equivalent or superior to breast milk feeding.
However, a section of companies are selling and promoting breast milk substitutes flouting the rule. Dr Raisul called for taking necessary steps from the government side so that none can violate the Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Code.
The writer is a freelance journalist. Her e-mail address is: salma.munni@gmail.com