Why Breast Milk?

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National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) [1] reports in Nigeria showed that in 2013 the rate of exclusive breast-feeding has dropped to 17%, this is one of the worst rates in the world by all standards, according to the report only 9% of nursing mothers in Abuja breast-fed their babies for the first 6 months as advised by doctors. 

Researchers in the US [2] have discovered that $13 million could be saved each year if 90% of mothers exclusively breast-feed their babies for the first 6 months of life. 


For every 1,000 babies not breast-fed, there will be an approximately 2,033 physician visits, 212 days in the hospital and 609 prescriptions by the physician. These figures would seemingly suggest that if breast feeding did take place exclusively for the first six months of a newborn’s life then families all over the world could make huge savings throughout the child’s lifetime. 

The question on our mind is what is so important about breast-feeding?  Since the beginning of time many authors and researchers have laid claim to the importance of exclusive breast-feeding and how it affects child and mother mortality. An expert paediatric Dr. Lanre Phillips referring to an article in an American Medical Journal [3] asserted that adults who were breastfed 6-9 months exclusively had higher IQs than those who were breastfed for two-three weeks less. Biologically, breast milk contains everything your baby needs, to grow and develop optimally; you don’t need to be an expert to know that breast-feeding is important for babies as there is simply no better food for new-borns.

A baby’s stomach at birth is about the size of an adult thumb, it can only take between 12-20mls of feed at a time. Babies require 600ml-1000ml breast milk daily, this figure helps the baby to gain weight and develop organs. Besides the fact that continuous breast-feeding helps with bonding, breast milk is completely and easily digested leaving little or no residue. Dr. Phillips clearly stated that a mother’s breast milk can protect and stimulate the development of a baby’s central nervous system. 

Breast milk contains a long chain of polyunsaturated acids, which is not present in infant formula of cow milk. Breast feeding should be encouraged in all societies; all over the world. It is meant to be natural and instinctive, as babies who are exclusively breast-fed for the first 6 months are 14 times likely to survive the first 6 months of their life than non-breast-fed babies (UNICEF) [4].

Breast-feeding your new-born could also reduce the risk of new-born deaths by 45% [5] as well as adding so many other benefits. Our babies need all they can get to survive, so it is instructive to know that breast-feeding is part of those needs and as a mother you must  give all you can.                                                     

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REFRENCES.

1)      Ezeaka, C. (2013). 17% Newborns Are Exclusively Breastfed In Nigeria: National Demographic Health Survey. www.mammallete.com/featured/17-newborn-exclusively-breatfed-nigeria-expert/

2)      Landau, E. (2013). CDC: Many moms start breastfeeding but drop off. CNN.com

3)      Mortensen, EL. et al. (2002). “The association between duration of breastfeeding and adult intelligence: 101 reasons to breastfeed your child. JAMA 287:2365-71. 

4)      World Health Organization.(2014). Breastfeeding Support: World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August 2014. Breastfeeding. Geneva: WHO. 

5)      Debes, A. K., Kohli, A., Walker, N., Edmond, K., & Mullany, L. C. (2013). Time to initiation of breastfeeding and neonatal mortality and morbidity: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 13 (Suppl 3), S19.