The need for mothers to breast feed their babies exclusively for six months was at the front burner during a symposium to herald the 1st African International Baby Exhibition in Lagos. Breastmilk is considered the optimal food for new born babies and their first natural food.

Experts say it contains all nutrients a baby requires and mothers are encouraged to breast feed exclusively for the first six months of life.

In her paper entitled “Exclusive Breastfeeding and Benefit for Mother and Baby”, a Public Health Physician from the Department of Community Health & Primary Care, College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL), Dr Kemi Olukoya said exclusive breastfeeding was practical even in the 21st century when the roles and responsibilities of women are fast changing. Olukoya explained that breast milk was like a daily vaccination against every infection a baby comes in contact with. According to her, When there is an infection, specialized white blood cells will appear in the breast milk to protect the baby.

“In many instances, the long-term protective effects of breastfeeding are related to its duration. The risks of a number of serious disorders, such as coeliac disease and insulin-dependent diabetes increase when babies are not breast fed . When you breastfeed your baby girl, you reduce her risk of developing breast cancer later in life by 25 percent. Studies show significant increases in IQ of babies who are breast fed. It also protect children against dental problems.”

For the mother, she stressed that hormones released while breastfeeding causes the uterus to contract and return to pre-pregnancy size, “which means you will also experience less postpartum bleeding”. In some cases, breastfeeding delays the return of menstruation after childbirth, and helps loss of fat stored during pregnancy

To overcome challenges that comes with breastfeeding, women should make a firm commitment to breastfeed exclusively, get informed- proper positioning, latching etc, be aware of the challenges and work out possible solutions before hand and request for partner and family support

Also in her paper entitled; “Exclusive breastfeeding and the challenges of the career woman”, Dr. Abimbola Mabogunje said to achieve the MDG’s as related to improving the infant and child mortality in Nigeria, exclusive breast feeding for six months should be encouraged and supported.

Mabogunje who defined breast feeding as one of the four most important WHO strategies for improving infant and child survival disclosed that about one-fourth to one-half of all infant deaths in developing countries occur in the first week of life.

She said immediate breastfeeding within the first hour, followed by early exclusive breastfeeding, improves the health and survival status of newborns.

“It is proposed that exclusive breastfeeding for six months, followed by continued breastfeeding to 12 months, could prevent 1,301,000 deaths or 13 per cent of all child deaths under 5 years in a hypothetical year.

Noting that in Africa, more than 95 per cent of infants are currently breastfed, she decried that the feeding practices are often inadequate adding that feeding water, and other liquids, to breastfed infants is a widespread practice. Consequently, the rate of exclusive breast-feeding is low, particularly in West Africa.

Managing Consultant of Afribaby, Dr Oscar Odiboh explained that the exhibition was a total package for a child to highlight some factors that would promote child survival in the country and Africa at large.