The wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, has urged all health sectors to partner with the government to promote exclusive breastfeeding of babies between zero to six months in order to achieve growth and quality health for children.
In a statement released to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, Mrs. Ikpeazu advocated for the extension of the maternity leave period to a more realistic timeframe for the benefit of the mother and child because according to her, breastfeeding is the best nutrition a mother can provide for her baby in the first six months of life.
She called on employers to set up breastfeeding corners in workplaces and for labour unions, women rights groups, and lawmakers to galvanize action to guarantee breastfeeding rights for mothers.
Mrs Ikpeazu advised mothers to start breastfeeding their babies 30 minutes after birth.
The wife of the Governor emphasized that breast milk is cheap, readily available, highly nutritious, and contains all the food and water that a baby needs for the first six months of life, including ingredients that make babies strong and capable of resisting diseases. It also enhances the brain.
She further advised that after the first six-month period, mothers should continue nurturing babies with breast milk mixed with some solid food until the child is over a year adding that children who are fed this way become a lot more intelligent.
Chika Ojiegbe*
