I’ll no longer succumb to cultural beliefs against exclusive breastfeeding – Nursing mother

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

A Nursing mother, Safiya Saleh from Kalorgu Community in Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe state has expressed readiness not to yield to any future pressure from her family members against the practice of Six months exclusive breastfeeding as being championed by health experts.

The Nursing mother stated this recently when she was approached by our Correspondent on whether she is aware of the need to feed her child from 0-6 months exclusively with breastmilk without any complementary food.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommended exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth.

Breastfeeding is considered a first immunization since it protects children from communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Experts made it known that not breastfeeding or weaning prematurely is associated with health risks for mothers as well as for infants. Epidemiologic data suggested that women who do not breastfeed face higher risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, as well as obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.

Safiya whose Child was ill, said she took him to the primary health care center for medical attention.

“I first took him to the General Hospital and he was administered two drips, and I was told that it’s a teething problem, there was diarrhea and vomit also”, she said.

According to her, having realized that the child could not eat or breastfeed, she was told to bring him to the PHC for medical attention.

“When we came here, they gave me this medicine to give to him and then come back next week Friday”, the Nursing mother who was visibly disturbed about the health condition of her child said.

Safiya Saleh who confessed that she has never practiced the six months exclusive breastfeeding for her child, said hours after the child’s birth, she was asked to give him water by family members which she did.

According to her, despite hearing much about the need to breastfeed babies exclusively for six months before giving them complementary food, like the rest of her family members, she still hold the belief that such practice is unhealthy and critical to the survival of children.

“We believe that breast milk alone can not sustain the babies. Although this is my first child but I couldn’t do exclusive breastfeeding because the family don’t believe in it”, she said.

“Honestly speaking, they said exclusive breastfeeding for six months is not part of their culture and tradition and that I must give him water to drink”, the Nursing mother disclosed.

Safiya who acknowledged that her neighbors are practicing exclusive breastfeeding due to belief that it gives the child good health, lamented that her own family believe it kills children.

“In our family, we give water to our babies, we don’t practice exclusive breastfeeding”, she said.

She pointed out that health workers have been enlightening them about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding but they didn’t believe them.

She however said, with the current experience of frequent health challenge of her child, and the consistent awareness creation by UNICEF and the Gombe state government, she will henceforth embrace the use of exclusive breastfeeding.

“Honestly speaking, if I have another child I will never give him water, I will practice exclusive breastfeeding having understood its health benefit on children”, she said.

The woman advised others people with similar thoughts to have a rethink and ensure that they embrace exclusive breastfeeding as advised by experts.

“I have now realized that the misconception that exclusive breastfeeding is not good for the children is not true, people should discard it and stop giving water or any complementary food to their children for six months from birth because it is good for the health of the children”, she advised.

Safiya said henceforth, she will stand firm on her resolve to practice exclusive breastfeeding by making sure that the family members are convinced on why she should be allowed to give it a trial.