Commissioner Urges Exclusive Breastfeeding

Rivers State Commissioner for Health Dr Tamunoiyioriari Parker,  has appealed to mothers to adhere strictly to breast feeding their babies in the first six months.

Parker, who made the appeal in an interview in Port Harcourt said that no infant food could be compared to breast milk.

He said that breast milk remained the one and only natural and complete food for babies, adding that “exclusive breast feeding in the first hours of life is a road map to achieving optimal health for infants and children.”

Some mothers who also spoke on breast feeding said that most times, convenience determined exclusive breast feeding.

Mrs Gloria Wachuku, a banker, said that she could only meet up with the exclusive breastfeeding during her maternity leave.

She said, “I took my three months maternity leave one month before delivery because I was weak and after delivery, l had only two months. “Within the two months, I did exclusive breast feeding, but after that, I introduced artificial milk because I could not extract enough breast milk to take the baby through the day since the earliest I can get home is 7 p.m.”

Mrs Phil Okah, a civil servant, said she was awaiting the completion of the crèche being built by the Ministry of Women Affairs to ensure six months exclusive breast feeding.

Okah said that she kept the baby at home while in the office and because of incessant power failure, she was afraid to extract breast milk and keep in the fridge to avoid contamination.

Mrs Uzo Uduma, a business woman, said that she breast fed her baby exclusively for six months because she owned her business and had time for her baby.

“I am always there for the baby because I take her to my shop every day and this is part of the reason I don’t want to get a paid job for now. “If I am working in any firm, there is no way I will meet up with the exclusive breast feeding. “The job stress is even capable of reducing the volume of breast milk and make it become inadequate for the baby,” Uduma said.