DUMAGUETE CITY, August 19 (PIA) – Lactating mothers should avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and using illegal drugs to ensure the safety of their child while they are breastfeeding.
This is a reminder from breastfeeding experts and advocates here during a Kapihan forum on the importance of breastfeeding.
According to Hilda Torres, breastfeeding program coordinator of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), breastfeeding mothers should avoid vices such as smoking or drinking alcohol because its harmful contents can affect infants through breast milk.
“It will pass through the breast milk. Breast milk is what the mother feeds her baby. Most probably, what the mother has taken in will also be absorbed by the baby,” Torres said.
Aside from this, Torres also underscored the importance of proper diet during lactation.
She noted that while it is important for mothers to eat nutritious food that will help increase their lactation, mothers should also keep track of the amount of food they are taking.
The health official explained that if a mother is breastfeeding, she should have an intake of at least two servings of vegetables to ensure her own nutrition since her baby is absorbing nutrients from her body when she is breastfeeding.
Torres shared this to raise awareness on proper breastfeeding in line with the annual observance of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August.
Breastfeeding is essential to achieve optimal nutrition for the baby, said Clarisse Sy, another breast feeding advocate and administrator of a blogsite called Dagit Dumaguete.
“One of the goals of our group is to continue raising awareness about breastfeeding. We also want to help local companies and public offices to establish lactation programs to protect the right of lactating mothers,” Sy said.
Just this month, Dagit Dumaguete together with the Rotary Club of Dumaguete held the 1st “Hakab Na!” event in the city to strengthen the advocacy on breastfeeding. A total of 178 mothers and babies participated in the event.
The activity gathered breastfeeding families, lactation experts, peer counselors, and breastfeeding advocacy supporters to promote the importance of providing proper support to breastfeeding mothers.
“We are hoping that it will not be the last ‘Hakab Na!’ event in Dumaguete,” she added.
For the part of the government, Torres disclosed that the IPHO is promoting exclusive breastfeeding to all rural health units in the province and based on their 2014 data, the percentage of mothers who are practicing breastfeeding is set at 60%.
“IPHO promotes exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life,” Torres said.
As for the programs of the Dumaguete City Health Office in relation to strengthening the campaign on breastfeeding, breastfeeding program coordinator Primrose Bueno also said they are set to conduct lecture on the importance of breastfeeding to 20 barangays in the city.
Aside from this, they also emphasize the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to pregnant women during their pre-natal check-ups.
With these, breastfeeding advocates hopes that more mothers will be aware on the importance of breastfeeding in providing nourishment to their children. (rmn/ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
