Men have been advised to keep away from their wives’ breasts
while they are breast feeding their children to avoid inflicting wounds on the
breasts and exposing the children to infection.
See details below after the cut:
Professor Angela Oyo Ita, the
Cross River State Commissioner for Health who gave the advice while flagging-
off the 2013 Breast Feeding Week at Akpabuyo local Government Area of the state
on Tuesday, stated that men sharing their wives’ breasts while they are breast
feeding could inflict wound on the breasts and if the woman is HIV positive,
the child could be exposed to the infection.
Professor Oyo Ita who was represented by the Director
Nutrition of the Ministry of Health, Mrs Regina Adie called on the women to
practice exclusive breast feeding because it has been proven that beast milk
contains 80% water and 20% minerals that are essential for the child’s growth.
“The World Health Organization, the United Nation
International Children Educational Fund, and other renowned world agencies have
carried out studies and it has proven that breast milk is the best in keeping
the child healthy, strong and happy”. She said myths that a child that is
exclusively fed on breast milk for six months would at some point die out of
thirst is not true because beast milk contains enough water to keep the child
happy and satisfied.
“Some time ago, we came here and had a meeting with the men
and called on them to support their wives to carry out exclusive breast feeding
for their children and the men said no because the children would die from the
thirst for water, but that is not true”. The Health Commissioner said the theme
for this year’s breast feeding week. ‘Breast Feeding, Close to Mother”, was apt
because the relationship 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 Effiong, the Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government
Area said breast feeding keeps children strong and free of health challenges
and “We in Akpabuyo do not want to have children who would put unnecessary
pressure on our health facilities, so let every mother listen and obey the
instruction of the focal person on breast feeding”.
Mrs Effiong who was 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.
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