Exclusive breastfeeding, a sad scenario of mother and son

Koomson was introduced to varieties of food supplements and sugared foods in his infant stages, because his mother not her real name, was a promising legal practitioner who had no time to breastfeed him. His mother will not border to breastfeed him, because as a single parent, Amina, an industrious woman, was determined to provide a brighter and well-secured future for her son. Koomson looked very healthy at age three, and his strong body make-ups motivates his mother much to add on more food supplements at the expense of breast milk. Data on infant nutrition in Ghana, shows decreasing breastfeeding rates, inadequate meal frequency and diet diversity, and increasing wasting among children younger below five years. In Ghana, early initiation of breastfeeding hovers around 50 percent while exclusive breastfeeding at six months is 43 percent. Breastfeeding during childhood sets the tone and patterns for lifelong health and wellness, but exclusive breastfeeding allows children to reach full growth potential, perform well in school and maintain their energy levels. Currently, in Ghana, only one child in every two is put to the breast within the first hour of life and the rate of exclusive breastfeeding of children less than six months is reducing, as over 20 percent of children are given water in the first six months of their lives. The consequences of fewer babies receiving breast milk and a poor nutrition diet mean that more children are at risk of experiencing stunting, and the rate of wasting is on the increase across Ghana's regions. It seeks to improve exclusive breastfeeding and promote good nutrition for young children and further seeks to address the issues of stunting, wasting and unnecessary deaths. Dr. Mrs Paulina Appiah, the Bono East Deputy Regional Director in-charge of Public Health, noted exclusive breastfeeding, helped protect infants from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia, which she said were the two primary causes of child mortality in the country. According to Dr John Ekow Otoo, the Bono Regional Deputy Director, Public Health, feeding babies below six months with breast milk devoid of water and food supplements protect children from illnesses and avoidable deaths. Dr said it was unfortunate nursing mothers provided their babies with food supplements, instead of taking them through exclusive breastfeeding, which was naturally essential to the proper growth and development that enhanced the well-being of children. Exclusive breastfeeding is important for babies to grow appropriately, and live a healthful life because studies linked breastfeeding to better school performance, being physically active, and, eventually, a healthy adulthood. Since it helps protect infants from common childhood illnesses, and help reduce child mortality, this reporter believes the nation requires a legal framework or policy guideline that will promote exclusive breastfeeding and save innocent children from avoidable deaths. In his divine wisdom, God has provided the required nutrients in breast milk, and denying babies and infants breastfeeding is a worst form of human right abuse and disregarding mothers must not go unpunished. Source | Summary