By Exclusive Breastfeeding: WBFA Calls On Health Workers, Families To Increase Support For New Mothers
For the last seven days, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa joined the global health community to advocate for exclusive breastfeeding for at least first six months of a newborn’s life. The Foundation also emphasised on the importance of respecting the mother’s choice and providing medical and emotional support to mothers during the breastfeeding.
Founder and President of the Foundation, Mrs Toyin Ojora-Saraki in the course of the programme which kick started on August 1st and ended on Monday, August 7th stated that the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding is beneficiary to every community in the continent and advised for a campaign to educate expectant mothers on necessary procedures.
She said, “The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are key for our communities, country and continent. Global and national policy communities need to rapidly implement a breastfeeding orientation communications campaign, to better educate expectant mothers on how to lactate and nurse.
“If we increase the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their children, we will increase the health of nation, which will improve our economy through its demographic dividend. The potential of change through exclusive breastfeeding is transformational and I hope all mothers adopt it, for themselves, their children, and the nation.”
“I would like to call on health workers, families and partners to also increase their support for new mothers who are breastfeeding, emotionally and medically. At times breastfeeding can be very difficult for a mother and at other times near to impossible. We must remain respectful and supportive, and never guilt or shame mothers who cannot breastfeed, as we all know that every mother wants best for her child,” Mrs Saraki added.
With full presence in Nigeria, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa participated in series of activities that marked the 2017 advocacy including the launch of Global Breastfedding Collective which was supported by Wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, UNICEF, World Health Organisation and others.
The Foundation in one of its project, MamaCare educates expectant mothers and nursing mothers on how to take care of their bodies and also their new babies during the Antenatal and Postnatal classes. The classes currently holds in 27 clinics across Lagos, Kwara and Abuja.
