World BreastFeeding Week: How tougher times is worsen Breastfeeding among rural mothers.

by Okwo romeon.

Today would have been a special day in the calendar of the World Health Organization (WHO) as the week set aside,to drawn global attention to a common practice of excessive breastfeeding that would make babies stronger,well malnourished and reduce infants maternal mortality rate (IMMR) in our country if government,stakeholders,non conformist has pursue these declarations by WHO with a every slight of commitment within their power.

This year, WBW 2021, has selected the theme: Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility. The theme is aligned with thematic area 2 of the WBW-SDG 2030 campaign which highlights the links between breastfeeding and survival, health and wellbeing of women, children and nations.

According to WABA,this year’s objectives are to:
Inform people about the importance of protecting breastfeeding.
Anchor breastfeeding support as a vital public health responsibility.
Engage with individuals and organizations for greater impact.
Galvanize action on protecting breastfeeding to improve public health.
Pregnancy and lactation are an especially vulnerable time for working women and their families. Expectant and nursing mothers require special protection to prevent harm to their or their infants’ health, and they need adequate time to give birth, to recover, and to nurse their children. At the same time, they also require protection to ensure that their jobs are not jeopardized because of pregnancy or maternity leave.
The Campaign went further to state that:
Maternity Protection is key to enable breastfeeding and empower parents for a successful implementation of recommended breastfeeding practices. PAHO/WHO recommends that countries must implement and reenforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes at all levels. It is vital to ensure that breastfeeding mothers do not get targeted by the industry, marketing or public health professional who want to jeopardize their breastfeeding by promoting formula-feeding.

According to Reports,Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2008) report showed,a 13% exclusive breastfeeding rate which is a decline from 17% indicated in 2003 report. The 2008 report also revealed that 34% of the infants aged 0-5 months were given plain water in addition to breast milk, while 10% were given non-milk liquids and juice and 6% were given milk other than breast milk. Furthermore, only 32% of children less than 24 months of age were still on breast milk.

This is the horrible tales confronting breastfeeding situations in Nigeria,the hash economic palavers mothers goes through everyday to put foods on the table for their kids incase of many of them without husbands is hellish,the current inflation in the country do not allow for balance nutrition dieting,it is a survival strategies with all the families across the board.
According to study,Exclusive Breastfeeding ( EBF) has been less than optimal in many developing countries including Nigeria. Variations in the level of practice of exclusive breastfeeding have been related to prominent socio-economic and cultural factors which influence breastfeeding practices. Social factors like maternal education, occupation, family background and utilization of basic health services may affect breastfeeding practices. Educational attainment had been adjudged to be a factor also enhancing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, this is attributed to access to information about exclusive breastfeeding.
while breastfeeding practices did not differ significantly with respect to maternal age and occupation.

In Karu,a suburb in Nassawa state,about fifteen kilometers drive to the Africa famous sit of power is a different narrative,as I drove down to see what mothers in maternity homes in Masaka Primary Health Center are thinking of what the “World Breastfeeding Week” meant for them.
Hear Mrs Thelesa Musa,”for me oo,my first pingin,I dey feed am with breast well well,I think I feed him with breast for three of six Months but this one wen dey my hand now,country bad and no money to eat food well to even get breast milk.for the world breastfeeding day,we just dey hear now.”
For Amina Abdulrahmam,breastfeeding is very important as,it help to balance the child intelligence and wellbeing which is a plus for her awesomeness,but it is not so with the rest women,which many complained,that,the standard of living have have a hard tools on them.the global pandemic of Covid-19 was not spare ,as some of they said,their husbands had lost their jobs and the incomes to sustain is very low which is affecting their eating.

The looks on the women’s face say it all,they are worried of what the children will eat next,so the “World breastfeeding day”mean nothing to them,they were in the primary health Center to get the common malaria drugs for the children,some,it is an ordinary fevers and they re waiting for the doctor for hours,the doctor will not come because the Nigeria Association of Medical Doctors just declared a nationwide strike a day before and they wait in hope.

Breastfeeding may not be adjourned to the rich’s alone as developed economies are even short of doing exclusive breastfeeding,according to research ,France for example,has one of the lowest rates in the world regarding breastfeeding initiation and duration,studies have explored breastfeeding practices in France since the middle of the twentieth century, following from initiation to cessation.
Breastfeeding is recommended as the normal infant diet and the risks of not breastfeeding are more and more documented.

However, despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to exclusively breastfeed during the first six months of life for optimal growth, development and health, followed by continued breastfeeding along with the introduction of appropriate complementary foods for up to two years or beyond,too few infants are breastfed in the world. Only 40% of newborns are exclusively breastfed until the first six months of life, with higher prevalence in low-income countries compared to upper-middle-income countries

Over the past decades multiple efforts have been made in many countries through public health programs, to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Considering the percentage of mothers practicing breast feeding, it should not be surprising that Nigeria is still saddled with high incidence of malnutrition and its associated infant mortality.
In Nigeria, the perception of mothers towards exclusive breastfeeding is discouraging as most mothers complain of financial and physical challenges, not having enough breast milk, working and breastfeeding, breast and nipples problem and pressure from family and sometimes the effects of drugs taken while breast feeding

The practice of EBF has been less than optimal in many developing countries including Nigeria.
Variations in the level of practice of exclusive breastfeeding have been related to prominent socio-economic and cultural factors which influence breastfeeding practices. Social factors like maternal education, occupation, family background and utilization of basic health services may affect breastfeeding practices.

Educational attainment had been adjudged to be a factor enhancing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, this is attributed to access to information about exclusive breastfeeding while breastfeeding practices did not differ significantly with respect to maternal age and occupation,Certain assertions have also been identified as undermining factors to the practice of EBF. Such factors include; excessive crying of the infant, the need to resume duty, maternal illness, delay in establishing lactation, poor growth of infant and pressure from family and friends.

Essentially,there is need for improved infant breastfeeding practices because Nigerian children need to be protected,as the global communities mark the “World breastfeeding Day”, I wish all Nigeria mothers happy breed fasting day.and urged them to reserve this day for our babies.