Dr Mervat Hashem, Consultant, Neonatology Head of the Pediatrics Department at Universal Hospital, also pointed out the vast beneficial factors of breastfeeding. Moreover, the week aims to cover the importance of “firmly anchoring breastfeeding as a key component of sustainable development”, and “to galvanise a variety of actions at all levels of breastfeeding”, as well as encouraging and promoting the “protection and support of breastfeeding”. In addition, there are significant individual economic gains and enormous general public advantages achieved by best breastfeeding practices, leading to capitol saved from the decreased incidences of infant and maternal disorders. This includes but is not limited to influencing policy stakes and creating awareness involving government and non-government agencies, which will be inaugurated on August 02, 2016 by the Honourable Minister of the MoHFW as the chief guest.
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Let’s refresh our memories by looking through the legislative journey which promotes, protects and supports breastfeeding across the globe including Bangladesh. Breast milk is touted as being “nature’s ideal baby food”, but are bottle-fed babies less healthy than their breastfed counterparts? Babies who don’t receive breast milk at all are also seven times more likely to die from infections and illnesses compared to those who are given a small amount of breast milk within the first six months of life. Mother’s breastfeeding to babies below six months helps to develop immune system of infant and adult too. Women tend to burn extra 300-500 calories a day, while breastfeeding, that helps them lose pregnancy weight.
What: Breast milk and diaper drive.
France Bégin, senior nutrition adviser to UNICEF, explained that making newborns wait too long for their first contact with their mother following their birth severely reduces the babies’ survival chances.
UNICEF studies have found that in many countries women are routinely not getting the help they may need to initiate breastfeeding.
While breast milk is filled with nutirents that are crucial for a baby’s development, in many countries, women are criticized-and in some cases legally prohibited-from breastfeeding their children in public. Breastfeeding provides a bonding experience. Leaving a three month old baby and going back to work is a wrench!
“Most important”, said Brown, “is the increased immunity breast milk gives newborns”. Beyond the immediate benefits for children, breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health. Babies who are not breastfed have a higher risk of asthma, diabetes, and childhood obesity. Children who were breastfed showed greater white matter, higher intelligence test scores, and total brain volume in children and adolescents who were breastfed (AAP-2015). Breastfeeding mothers should also get more rest. It is also 98 percent effective birth control for the first 6 months. Physical therapists will screen babies for disability, and families will be supported to participate in early childhood programs to reduce the stigma.
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“Breast milk is affected by the woman’s diet and so, yes, it can change flavour”, Dyson said.
