The Hindu : Karnataka News : Breastfeeding will reduce infant deaths: doctors

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Karnataka

Breastfeeding will reduce infant deaths: doctors

Staff Correspondent

World Breastfeeding Week to be observed from today

‘Maternity leave should be extended
to six months’
‘Crèches should be provided in all workplaces’

DAVANGERE: Infant mortality can be drastically curbed by breastfeeding babies within an hour of its birth, according to a panel of paediatricians.

They expressed their disappointment over the reluctance of mothers to breastfeed their babies for the first two years at least. The absence of crèches at workplaces, lack of awareness and wrong notions about breastfeeding were some of the reasons for the reluctance, they said.

Banapurmutt, Nirmala Kesaree, R.G. Geetha Lakshmi and N.K. Kalappanavar, paediatricians and office-bearers of the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), told presspersons here on Thursday that breastfeeding could prevent 13 per cent of deaths of children under the age of five.

Breastfeeding babies for the first nine months would help the develop immunity. Therefore, babies should be breastfed for at the first nine months, they said.

The country’s infant mortality rate is 57 (out of every 1,000 live births) and that of the State is 43. World Breastfeeding Week is being observed from August 1 to 7.

Mothers’ meetings

During the week, trained supervisors along with taluk-level officers and medical officers from primary health centres will visit over 60 remote villages and organise mothers’ meetings to educate them about the importance of breastfeeding newborns for at least two years. They will be taught about various aspects of nourishment needed by children up to the age of five. Doctors will organise workshops and meetings in cities and towns to dispel wrong notions about breastfeeding. Women will also be told not to give honey to newborn babies.

The paediatricians said that government employees in some States such as Punjab and Haryana were entitled to six months’ maternity leave, whereas in Karnataka it was only four-and-a-half months. Maternity leave should be extended to six months, they said.

They also suggested that the Government strictly instruct all industries, factories, business houses, companies and various other workplaces to set up crèches. Crèches should also be provided in all government offices and public sector undertakings.

As part of the Breastfeeding Week, doctors will take out a rally here on Friday to create awareness among the people about the importance of breastfeeding.

They will submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

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