By Emma Una

Masquerade dance troops, drama renditions, pep talks were employed by officials of Cross River State Health Ministry and UNICEF to persuade mothers to exclusively feed their babies with breast milk for the first six months of their lives.

A large crowd of mothers, most of them teenagers giving birth for the first time, brought from the villages of Bakassi and Akpabuyo in the outskirts of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, were entertained with scintillating dance steps by beautiful masquerades. Along with  this was special dramatic displays  and alluring song rendition  by nurses to encourage them to feed their babies with breast milk for the first six months of their lives to keep them healthy and strong.

The women, some fearful that their breast would sag and no longer  attractive to their men, were advised to consider the health of their babies beyond all other considerations. The young mothers were advised not to allow the men share the breast with the babies while they are breast feeding.  “Even if you are not lactating, kindly allow your baby and not your husband to suck it inoder not to give you wound which could expose the infant to infection”.

Professor Angela Oyo Ita, Cross River State Health  Commissioner, told the women while flagging- off the 2013 Breast Feeding Week at Akpabuyo local government area of the state that  men sharing their breasts while they are breast feeding could inflict wound on the breasts and if the “mother is HIV positive, the likelihood is the infection could be passed on to the innocent  because that would  expose him to the infection”.

Represented by the Director Nutrition of the Ministry of Health, Mrs Regina Adie, the Health Commissioner said it was important for the young mothers to practice exclusive breast-feeding because it had been proven that beast milk contains 80% water and 20% minerals that are essential for the child’s growth.

The Health Commissioner said the theme for this year’s breast feeding week. ‘Breast Feeding, Babies Close to Mother”, was aptly chosen because the bond between the mother and the child becomes stronger when the mother breast-feeds the baby exclusively for six months. “If you look at the face of your baby during breast feeding, you would see joy and satisfaction on the face and that brings the child closer to the mother”.

Mrs Rosemary Archibong, the Chairman of Akpabuyo local government area, said breast feeding keeps children strong and free of health challenges.

Mrs Effiong, represented by the Secretary of Council, Mr Edem Okon, said the council would continue to offer the needed support to mothers through financial empowerment to enable them feed well to breast-feed their children.