Fathers, employers urged to support breastfeeding

Source: GMA News.TV
ROBERT JA BASILIO JR., GMANews.TV 08/28/2010 | 04:51 AM
Fathers, grandparents, health professionals, and employers were urged to support mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first six months of their lives.

The Philippine office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reiterated this call on Thursday afternoon after a 2008 study showed that fewer Filipino mothers now breastfeed their children.

"We have a moral obligation to get information to mothers about breastfeeding," Vanessa Tobin, the UNICEF’s Philippine representative, said in a briefing held on Thursday. "It is the cheapest message you can provide."

Tobin made these remarks in a Manila hotel as the global breastfeeding month — one of UNICEF’s advocacies — comes to a close in end-August.

"For too long, we have put all the pressure to successfully breastfeed on the mother," Tobin said in a separate statement distributed during the event. "But it’s clear that if the Philippines wants to improve its low exclusive breastfeeding rates, everyone must play their part, including fathers, grandparents, health professionals, milk companies, employers, and the government."

She added: "Breastfeeding is not difficult, but it takes some practice and quiet dedication and it does need the mother to be able to rest, eat, and drink plenty of liquids, so she can focus on giving her baby frequent needs on demand. Having supportive family and friends around is crucial in mothers succeeding in starting and continuing to breastfeed."

In her speech, she also disclosed that only 34 percent of Filipino mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for six months.

The figure "has not moved significantly since 2003 when the rate was 37 percent," Tobin said, citing data from a breastfeeding study undertaken in 2008.

Compared to three other countries’ ranking, the Philippines placed second, better than Vietnam’s 15.5 percent and Indonesia’s 32.4 percent.

However, the country was outpaced by Cambodia at 60 percent.

The Philippines’ ranking — which Tobin intends to bring up to 70 percent by 2015 — is just a notch below the global average of 35 percent.

"Exclusive breastfeeding declines rapidly with infant age, from 53 percent at under two months to 35 percent at three to four months and only 16 percent at four to five months," Tobin said in her speech.

She added that only 54 percent of mothers were assisted to begin breastfeeding within an hour of giving birth and 31 percent reported the use of bottles with teats for babies of four to six months, which reduces the likelihood of a mother successfully breastfeeding exclusively.

Breastfeeding during the first six months of a child’s life is deemed crucial since it cuts the risk of chronic diseases and leads to overall better development.

Tobin’s sentiments were echoed by Department of Health Assistant Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, who was one of the event’s speakers.

Although she said that children born in hospitals have lesser chances of being breastfed, she nevertheless said everyone has to pitch in to encourage breastfeeding.

"Mothers should continue breastfeeding even though sometimes the practice may be painful," she said in her speech. "They should continue the practice despite suffering from congested breasts and sore nipples."—JV, GMANews.TV