In Bauchi state, the Exclusive Breastfeeding rate is 21 percent, lower than the national average of 29 percent, says UNICEF

The Community Health worker is always willing to lend a helping hand, especial to nursing mothers to practice Exclusive Breastfeeding.

She tells mothers who visit the primary health care facility in Madangala of the enormous health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.

“I have five children but I was introduced to exclusive breastfeeding after my third child,” she says.

WHO recommends that children receive nothing but breast milk (exclusive breastfeeding) for the first 6 months of life from mothers.

“I am always happy to tell them the difference between infants that receive exclusive breastfeeding and the ones that did not,” Umar tells a team of the Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) who came to the facility on Thursday, August 10.

The facility visit was In commemoration of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week WBW themed “Enabling Breastfeeding – Making a Difference for Working Parents“.

Dr. Tushar Rane, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office says WBW is celebrated every year to reiterate the importance of breastfeeding for children, mothers, and socio-economic development.

“Breastmilk is the first vaccine for every child,” Rane says.

“It is the mainstay for safeguarding infants against life-threatening infections.

Breast milk supports optimal brain development in children, especially in the first 1,000 days and it ultimately lowers healthcare costs”

Although Umar has worked for 34 years and has just a year to retire, she delights lecturing a group of mothers who visit the facility daily on Maternal, Newborn, and Child health.

Encouraging women not to give up on Exclusive Breastfeeding, she uses her success story to appeal to them.

“I didn’t know about it until after I had given birth to three children,” she states.

“Having known the benefits, my subsequent children and all my grandchildren were exclusively breastfed for six month,” she explains.

“But the difference is clear between my children that were not opportune to be exclusively breastfed for six months and the ones that enjoyed it,” she narrates.

“We always mobilise in this facility women on the importance of Exclusive Breastfeeding.

“We always inform them that it prevents infants from diarrhea and many diseases.

“The number of mothers accepting and fully practicing excusive breastfeeding now is over 50 per cent”

The team of the Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supported journalists interacting with breastfeeding mothers during the facility visitation to Madangala PHC in Katagum LGA on Thursday, August 10, 2023

Despite this success, Umar believes much needs to be done to create more awareness.

According to UNICEF, in Bauchi state, the exclusive breastfeeding rate is 21 percent, lower than the national average of 29 percent.

“Poor awareness of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding is among the factors responsible for the low adoption of Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF) in the first six months of life by mothers in the State,” UNICEF says.

With myths, misconceptions and ignorance still surrounding exclusive breast feeding, the 59 year-old community health worker’s passion to change the narratives is obviously a driving force.

Umar reveals that many nursing mothers in Katagum give water to their infant babies because of hot weather.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children receive nothing but breast milk (exclusive breastfeeding) for the first six months of life from mothers, and no other liquids with exception of oral rehydration solution.

Infants can receive solution or drops or syrups consisting of vitamins, minerals supplements or medicine, but not water.

Despite these guidelines, many women in Katagum believe it is inhuman not to give water to infants, especially during high temperature weather.

Umar, believes the mothers’ action is borne out of ignorance.

“Some of them complain of the hot weather,” she says.

“They claim that their babies need water during the hot weather.

“The weather is hot and people need water.

“They wonder how a child can survive without water for six months.

“But we have to sensitise them that the breast contains water”

The average hot weather in Katagum lasts for 2 to 4 months- March to June, with an average daily high temperature above 101 ‘F

The hottest month of the year in Katagum is May, an average temperature high of 103 ‘F and low of 80 ‘F

According to Philomena Irene, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Nigeria Bauchi Field Office, Exclusive Breastfeeding provides all of the fluid and nutrients needed for optimal growth and development during the first six months.

Irene says breast milk contains everything a baby needs to quench thirst and satisfy hunger.

A composition of the breast milk shows that it contains 88.1 percent of water and other nutrients, needed by the baby to survive, she states.

“Caution should be taken to ensure that water and other liquids do not replace breast milk,” says Irene.

According to the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Exclusive Breastfeeding has the potential to save more children’s lives than any other preventive intervention.

“Breastfed children have at least 6 times greater chance of survival in the early months than non-breastfed children,” she says.

“An exclusively breastfed child is 14 times less likely to die in the first six months than a non-breastfed child.

An estimated 13% of child deaths could be averted if 90% of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants for the first six months of life”

A lot of women in Katagum do not fully adhere to exclusive breast feeding, Umar says.

According to her, some women feel their babies are suffering from thirst as a result of the hot weather, hence need water during the hot weather, Umar stresses.

“But we have to sensitse them that 86 percent of breast milk contains water” (Saturday Sun)

•Breastfeeding mothers and their children at the Madangala Primary Healthcare Centre in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

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