Even as India stands ahead of many developed nations in terms of maternity benefits, it is unfortunate that the country lags behind in social acceptance for breastfeeding. It is high time to create better infrastructural facilities and generate awareness for breastfeeding
like every year, this year too world breastfeeding week is being celebrated from August 1 to 7. World breastfeeding week is an initiative of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and is celebrated across the world.
This year is, however, the 25th world breastfeeding week. The importance of such celebration lies in generating awareness about the huge significance of breastfeeding for both, infants and maternal health. last year, we saw quite a few great initiatives on the part of the Government towards protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding.
last year, on August 5, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a programme, Mothers Absolute Affection, (Maa), which aims at providing support to all breastfeeding mothers and families by providing skilled breastfeeding education and support during pregnancy, at delivery and during the breastfeeding period.
Another landmark initiative of the Union Government has been the passage of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill 2017, which is an amendment to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. As per the provisions of the new Bill, starting April 1 this year, the duration of paid maternity leave for women employees has been extended from the existing 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
Thus, India stands ahead of many developed nations in terms of maternity benefits. We, as a country, are also well aware of the fact that mother’s milk is the optimal food for the baby and breastfeeding is beneficial for both mothers and the baby. Breastfed newborns get all vital nutrients and essential immunity, thus they have better IQ; better growth rates; and are protected from many diseases.
Breastfeeding moms recuperate from pregnancy and delivery faster; have lesser blood loss; have stronger bones; and are protected from diseases. Over the years, this writer observed that breastfeeding initiation rates have improved but continuation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding rates are still not encouraging.
The reason is that India lags behing in infrastructural facilities and social support to breastfeeding mothers. Many parents want to start with the bottle and formula feeding since they feel it will be easier for them when they need to go out and join back work.
lack of proper places to feed and lack of social acceptance of public breastfeeding are common reasons for mothers cringing from breastfeeding.
There is an urgent need to create widespread awareness about having breastfeeding-friendly infrastructure. This can be done in cooperation with both Government and private sector. By creating breastfeeding-friendly physical as well as social infrastructure, ie ensuring provisions, facilities and breastfeeding-friendly attitudes in the society that enable mothers to breastfeed, little ones and mothers can move wherever and whenever they want to.
We need feeding rooms, breastfeeding pods etc in doctor’s clinics, hospitals, airports, bus terminals etc. This will help especially those women who prematurely turn to bottle feeding because they feel uncomfortable feeding in public.
We also need breastfeeding-friendly workplaces which includes onsite creche/childcare, pumping breaks, private space for pumping milk, flexible working hours etc. This looks like a huge investment initially, but having breastfeeding-friendly workplaces will have a huge impact on absenteeism and employee attrition rate as well as employee loyalty towards the company, thus resulting in better revenues.
Finally, breastfeeding-friendly society is that where a mother has full freedom to breastfeed her child without any censure or discomfort from the society. Mostly, when a mother decides to breastfeed, she is advised by her family and peers to start with the bottle as well as exclusive breastfeeding is hard to manage, and if she somehow continues, she is pressurised to quit the process.
Those who are courageous to persist beyond one year are constantly discouraged by the society till they fold. All because of our incorrect social attitudes, which form a huge barrier in the way of breastfeeding. This is unfortunate. The longer the child breastfeeds the more is the benefit for both mom and child.
WHO recommends that all newborns should be fed only mothers’ milk till six months of age and thereafter, complementary feeding should be started along with continued breastfeeding till at least two years.
It is high time to create a supportive infrastructure and society for breastfeeding. Keeping in tune with this year’s world breastfeeding week theme ‘sustaining breastfeeding together’ Government, NGOs, medical fraternity and public must join hands to create an atmosphere where our newbies get what they deserve — that is their own mother’s milk.
(The writer is lactation consultant, BlK Super Speciality Hospital)