MOTHERS should feed their babies exclusively on breast milk, without adding either water or juice, international experts advise.
Entire reliance on mother’s milk could help cut the mortality rate among infants, said medical experts from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Myanmar Ministry of Health.
About 30 participants at a workshop on June 12 heard that although 95 percent of Myanmar mothers breastfeed, less than 15pc rely exclusively on mother’s milk, according to surveys.
According to statistics from Save the Children, the infant mortality rate in Myanmar is 74 per 1000 live births, while the under-five mortality rate is 104 per 1000 live births.
Dr Osamu Kunii, chief of UNICEF’s health and nutrition section, said their surveys indicated that so-called exclusive breastfeeding could save 1.3 million deaths yearly among the under-fives worldwide.
“Milk produced by the mother is nutritious, cheap and rich in antibodies that protect against disease. It is the best medicine and it is better than even the highest-quality formula milk powder.
But many mothers don’t know they should breastfeed exclusively from birth to the age of six months. Exclusive breastfeeding means without water or juice,” he said.
Dr Aye Aye Thaw, director of the national nutritional centre under the Ministry of Health, added: “When the mother takes a rest, a midwife feeds the new-born baby honey, or gives the child water on hot days. These habits are ingrained, but the water is not always safe,” she said.
She said exclusive breastfeeding should be initiated within 30 minutes of birth if possible, and should continue for the first six months.
Breastfeeding supplemented by other nutritious foods and liquids should be introduced after six months, and could continue until the age of two or more, she said.
“The most important thing is to boost the mother’s confidence to sustain a good milk supply,” said Dr Aye Aye Thaw.
She said Myanmar was training medical students, nurses and midwives to introduce mothers to exclusive breastfeeding and planned to increase awareness in the countryside.
