Extend maternity leave period for nursing mothers-Nutritionist

Mampong (Ash), Aug. 7, GNA – Mr Kofi Damuah, a Nutritionist at the Asante- Mampong Municipal Health Directorate, has appealed to the government to extend the maternity leave period for nursing mothers to enable them to exclusively breastfeed babies from birth to six months.

The best protection a mother could give to her baby, he noted, was to give only breast milk to the baby for the first six months of life after which baby foods could be introduced.

He said breastfeeding should continue for two years and beyond.

Mr Damuah told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that exclusive breast feeding meant there must be no fruit juices, pacifiers, water, cow milk and any other food.

“Most nursing mothers are not able to exclusively breastfeed because they have to return to work after three months of delivery and this affects the development of the child.”

Breast milk, he said, contained all the nutrients a baby needed, adding that, the “colostrums”, the yellowish breast milk produced by mothers just after giving birth, contained anti-bodies and more white blood cells that served as the first immunization for the baby.

He said the length at which “a child breastfeeds does not affect the teeth but rather fights tooth decay.”

Not only does it prevent ovarian cancer, diabetes and hypertension in mothers, it also protects babies from illnesses such as diarrhoea, common colds, pneumonia and creates special bond between mother and baby.

He said another advantage was that it was economical and could prevent unwanted pregnancies during the first six months.

He called on nursing mothers to adhere to health workers advice on breastfeeding, to ensure the good health of their babies.

GNA