The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : What's best for baby? No questions: breast milk

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 09, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

What's best for baby? No questions: breast milk

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, AUG. 8. New Zealand hosted an International Breastfeeding Photography Competition; in Pretoria, South African mothers were attending talks on breastfeeding; and here on Sydenhams Road there was a `patti manram' (debate) on the role of advertisers versus mothers in the premature termination of breastfeeding.

Around 120 countries were determined to spread the message of "Exclusive Breastfeeding: The Gold Standard — Safe, Sound, Sustainable" all this week. And on Saturday, Chennai Corporation organised a quiz, debate and a mini-exhibition to drive home the slogan. Around 500 people participated in the programme.

The Deputy Mayor, `Karate' R. Thiagarajan, presided over the function and gave away the "chubby baby award" to Vidyashree, daughter of Geetha.

Also present were S.G. Vinayagamurthy, MLA of Park Town, P.K. Sekhar Babu, MLA of Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, and V. Sugumar Babu, ruling party leader in the Council.

At Rajaji Bhavan, Besant Nagar, the Central Government held a sensitisation workshop for 60 participants.

The workshop highlighted the advantages of breastfeeding.

"Breast milk is crucial in bringing down the infant mortality rate. Presently the exclusive breastfeeding rate is around 15 per cent and the Government wants to raise it to 50 per cent. That way we can prevent around 3 lakh infant deaths due to malnutrition. Plus it saves about Rs. 84,000 crores for the national economy every year," said Radha Sundararajan, assistant technical adviser, Food and Nutrition Board.

Several doctors stressed the importance of breastfeeding within the first half hour of birth.

The participants included officers and doctors working on the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) project, district programme officers, home science lecturers and workers of non-Government organisations.

Colostrum awareness

At a public forum organised for pregnant women and mothers at the Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital, Nungambakkam, actress Suhasini Maniratnam narrated her experiences with motherhood.

Doctors from the hospital answered questions about breastfeeding, dispelled myths about "health drinks" and urged expectant mothers to eat foods rich in calcium.

Interestingly, several mothers stated that unlike as in a few years ago, they were aware of the importance of colostrum, thanks to the efforts of the media and the medical community. Colostrum is the yellowish secretion in the first few hours, rich in immunity-promoting nutrients.

Further, there was a dose of motivation for pregnant women by new mothers who had delivered babies by Caesarean section, who said they started breastfeeding within a few hours, despite post-operative discomfort.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

What's best for baby? No questions: breast milk

Health `key to workplace productivity'

It's New Veeranam water: Minister

College backs down, concedes students' demands

They're not feral, but they're a problem all the same

Auto drivers undergoing training

Professional ethics for engineers

Milk booth opened at Avadi

Wine shop burgled at Vadapalani

Cargo firm employee crushed to death

Around the City

In Chennai today

Readers' Mail