DAVANGERE: District Health Officer K.R. Jayadevappa has criticised companies that manufacture ready-made baby foods and mislead mothers through "false advertisements" claiming that their products are substitutes for mother's milk. He said such companies were not only cheating mothers but taking away the right of a new born to be breastfed.

He said nothing could substitute mother's milk.

Inaugurating the breastfeeding promotion week here on Tuesday, Dr. Jayadevappa said mother's milk was the first "natural vaccination" for a child against diseases that a newborn was susceptible to.

Children who were properly breastfed for at least two years had proved to be physically strong and smart, he said.

Many companies were unfortunately misleading people claiming that their foods were substitutes for mother's milk.

Manjula Dyaberi, an artist and the wife of Deputy Commissioner of Davangere district, said breastfeeding enhanced the bond between a mother and child.

She called upon mothers to dismiss false notions about breastfeeding. Many mothers were under the impression that their "beauty" would be affected if they breastfed their newborn for several months.

No woman had lost her beauty by breastfeeding her baby, she said.

Not only did mother's milk protect the child from diseases, it developed immunity, she added.

Intelligence quotient

Ms. Dyaberi said mother's milk was one of the few natural food which could no way adulterated by any means and she noted that children who were properly breastfed would be more intelligent.

Quoting a survey she said that toppers at many examinations including competitive examinations were breastfed for over one-and-a-half years.

She urged mothers not to deprive their babies of their right to be breastfed.

Jayaswamy, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department, said he would ask self-help groups (SHGs) and anganwadi workers to create awareness among women in rural areas on the importance of breastfeeding.

Postnatal care

Nirmala Kesaree, Director of Bapuji Child Health Institute, said a puerperal woman (woman who has just given birth to a baby) need not be denied any food and could be given all nutritious food. This would enable her to feed her baby properly.

Shobha Banapurmutt, paediatrician, said children who were breastfed for two years were less prone to diseases such as asthama, heart problems and blood pressure in their later years. Kalappanavar and Geetha Lakshmi spoke.

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