UNICEF counsels mothers on exclusive breast feeding

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has advised mothers in Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large to embrace exclusive breast feeding, in the interest of the health of their new born babies.

Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field office, Ms Chinwe Ezeife, gave the advice on Friday when members of the organisation were on assessment tour to one of its service centres in Keffi.

She said that exclusive breast feeding was good for the health of new born babies, hence the need for mothers to feed their children exclusively for six months of life.

“We are encouraging mothers to embrace exclusive breast feeding. One hour after the birth or delivery, mothers should put their babies to breast feeding.

`She should feed the child exclusively for six months of life.

“After that, the mother will introduce other complementary foods because after six months, only breast milk cannot satisfy the nutrient requirement of the child,” she said.

Ezeife also called for collective efforts to address the challenges of malnutrition in the country.

“My call on the parents, especially the mothers and fathers is for them to join hands to ensure that the child is given exclusive breast feeding.

“We know that mothers own the breast, it is also left for the fathers to do their part, to be supportive in terms of providing the necessary needs required by the mother.

“This is necessary so that the child can be breast feed well,” the nutritionist said.

She restated the commitment of the UNICEF to continue to key into good projects and policies that had direct bearing on the nutritional need of the children in order to improve on their standard of living.