Aisha Buhari Begs Mothers To Breastfeed Their Babies

Aisha Buhari, who spoke today, August 6 at the launching of the Zero water campaign during the 2019 World Breastfeeding Week which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja stressed that breastfeeding is the right of every new-born child.

The First Lady said that absence of breastfeed breeds a huge economic cost, vulnerability to illness and eventual death of the babies, adding that the benefits of breastfeeding are enormous.

The First Lady, who was represented by the wife of the former governor of Nasararwa state, Mairo Al Makura, hoped that the launching would change the narrative for nutrition in the country.

She said that the launching was meant to encourage women to breastfeed within one hour of giving birth and not introducing the baby to water until after six months.

The UNICEF Deputy Representative, Pernille Ironside said that she has been breastfeeding her child for the past eighteen months, saying that Breastfeeding is a unique right of every baby.

 Breastfeeding, according to the UNICEF officer, gives baby the best start in life as well as laying the foundation for survival and ultimate good health and development.

She said that in a country where 1 in 8 children do not reach their fifth birthday and 1 in 10 children are stunted, optimal breastfeeding practices are known to reduce neonatal and child mortality, morbidity such as respiratory infections, diarrhea as well as non- communicable diseases, such as diabetes that decreased if a child is exclusively breast fed.

Ms Ironside said that an important barrier to optimal exclusive breastfeeding practice is the lack of family friendly policies that support maternity and paternity leave for parents of new-born children

Available statistics in Nigeria show that the rates for exclusive breastfeeding have improved from 17 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2018, even as Kaduna and Lagos states have increased maternity leave from three to six months.