By Sylvia
As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate the international breastfeeding day today, research shows 40.6% of children are stunted due to lack of breast milk in the Tooro region.
According to Dr. Bernard Bwambale, the food systems & nutrition program manager KRC nutrition clinic, the stuntedness in children, is due to the fact that breast feeding mothers fail to breast feed their children over some myths.
Dr.Bwambale, has states that failure to breast feed children within the first two years, puts them at risk of being stunted
Dr. Bernad Bwambale on breastfeeding week
The best food for babies
According to him, mothers should embrace breast feeding since breast milk is the best food to a child. thus it boosts the immunity of a child and is easy to digest
Dr. Bwambale, however attributed the problem to some myths among breastfeeding mothers as follows
- when a mother breast feeds, her breasts fall
- when pregnant, one are not supposed to breastfeed
- some also believe a child should not receive the first yellow breast milk which majority throw away yet it is the best, among others.
However , the nutritionist casts down mothers who abuse drugs like alcohol, believing that it cleans the unborn baby’s skin. These practices he says, can affect the breastfeeding practices and baby’s health.
