Sanwo-Olu To Nursing, Expectant Mothers: Embrace Exclusive Breastfeeding

Tobi Adebayo 

The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday said the importance of exclusive breastfeeding cannot be over emphasized, hence the need for mothers to embrace the practice to safeguard the health of their babies.

Sanwo-Olu said this in a message commemorating Y2020 World Breastfeeding Week and called on expectant and nursing mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months after delivery.

“As a mother and physician, myself, I have a clear idea of the high impact of exclusive breastfeeding on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition, hence the need for expectant and nursing mothers to be encouraged to embrace the practice to improve child growth and development.

“When observed for the first six months after birth, exclusive breastfeeding helps in no small measure to reduce morbidity in children. It helps to strengthen the immune system and protects against serious diseases such as respiratory infections, low growth, diarrhea, and pneumonia, among others.”

“Without mincing words, there are several benefits inherent in strict adherence to the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for both children and mothers, and it is for this reason that I urge expectant and nursing mothers to embrace it to safeguard the health of their children.

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“This has brought to the fore the need for all, especially relatives, colleagues, and the community generally to make it a priority to support expectant and nursing mothers to observe exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended period.

“It is our collective responsibility to create the enabling environment for mothers to breastfeed optimally in the interest of the health of our children and mothers,” she said.