 Welcome back. It's still the breakfast on Plus TV Africa. We have a guest standing by for a conversation on the World Breastfeeding Week. Each year, one week is set aside globally to promote the benefits of breastfeeding organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action at the World Health Organization and the UNICEF. World Breastfeeding Week 2022 is being observed from Monday at the first of August to Sunday, the 7th of August. Olua Tosin Adipoju is a public health physician based in Lagos and she joins us live Zoom to discuss this further, looking at the significance of the week-long international observance. Good morning to you and thank you for joining us. Good morning. Thank you for having me. What exactly are the aims of the World Breastfeeding Week? Okay, thank you. So the breast, the World Breastfeeding Week is actually set up, the objective of it is to inform everybody so we understand the importance of breast milk as the first milk to give to children. So we are here to inform people about their role in strengthening breastfeeding and also to include breast milk actually with good nutrition to give children and also to engage organization in the community to support breastfeeding. Alright, fantastic. And so this is quite important. You say this should be the first thing that a child takes I mean this message of breastfeeding has been on for as long as I can recollect. Do you think that parents, families, the society is accepting, imbibing and practicing this message that has been shared over the past decades? So I'm coming in. So are mothers really accepting this practice and carrying it out? Are they adhering to the messages that have been shared over the past decades on breastfeeding? Okay. So mothers are actually willing to carry out breastfeeding but they need the support of the community. I mean the community that is breastfeeding friendly. You know, the mother is interested in breastfeeding and pregnant but if she has to go to work and there is no way to breastfeed, then she shouldn't breastfeed at the end. So apart from just being willing to be murdered, the mother has to be the community, people everywhere to support breastfeeding. Alright. So it seems that from what you're saying that it's not been totally accepted by some mothers. Is this a case that some mothers out there who do not breastfeed their babies? Okay. So like I said earlier, a lot of mothers are willing to breastfeed their babies. However, what you need is the environment where they find themselves. The environment where they find themselves, limit them. Imagine if the father does not support breastfeeding. The woman is limited. If she wants to breastfeed her baby. Imagine if she wants to breastfeed her child to a workplace but there is no room for her to breastfeed her child. Then she is limited. So like I said earlier, we need the support of the community of people. Imagine a woman in the public place bringing out her breast to breastfeed her baby. Some people don't do that and you just feel that, oh man, what are you doing in public? So we need a lot of people to accept it. So women are willing to breastfeed their babies. However, they need a supporting community to do that. Okay. How can the community support women? You've talked about sometimes bringing it out and the perception of people around. In what ways can the community support women who are breastfeeding to make it easier for them to do this? Okay. Thank you. So the support comes first when the woman is breastfed. During the antenatal care, women are supposed to be taught at their health center where they register for the antenatal care. They are supposed to be taught how to breastfeed their babies and how to and the importance of breastfeeding. Also, do the labor and delivery. They're supposed to also encourage them to breastfeed their babies and eventually when they deliver the baby, they're supposed to surround them with people, with friends, with fathers. So it starts with the husband of the woman to support breastfeeding. It starts with the friends and family to encourage them to be breastfed. Then even at workplace, it is important that organizers begin to have breastfeeding means for breastfeeding mothers so that they can bring their baby to work, keep their baby in the prayers, and when it is time to breastfeed their baby, there is a room to go to breastfeed their baby. And we also need to educate the community so everybody understand that breastfeeding is normal. So we don't think that something straight when we learn breastfeeding is important. There are some women who feel that they wouldn't want to breastfeed apart from not because of society lack of salary or support, but maybe it's a personal decision that they may not want to breastfeed. If that's the case, why do they take such decisions? Okay, so for women that should not breastfeed, the problem actually begins when we are aware of the importance of breastfeeding because we know if something is important, you will definitely feel it. For a lot of women, they feel that when they breastfeed their baby, maybe their breast is sad, or many of the things when the problem actually gets better. And they think forward and breastfeed at the same thing. So if you think for women that should not breastfeed their baby, you may choose to go for formula feed. But when women are educated, every woman will choose to breastfeed their baby. But it's lack of awareness, lack of knowledge of the importance of breastfeeding. So let's talk about that now. What are the benefits of this thing called breast milk? Okay, so the benefits of breast milk, so we have benefits to the baby, and we also have benefits to the mother. So benefits to the baby include this. Breast milk contains the appropriate nutrients that it needs for the first months of life. Breast milk contains the appropriate nutrients in the right proportion, and it needs to grow and develop well. We recommend breast milk for the first six months of life because it contains what the baby needs in the right quantity. And for the baby to grow properly. And second, breast milk contains substances inside it that helps to build the baby's immune system. So it helps the baby to fight the infection. So when mothers properly breastfeed their baby, they are sure that their baby is able to fight the infection. Another benefit of breastfeeding is this. Stockholders have shown that breast-fed babies, especially expensive breastfeeding for the first six months, actually make those babies perform better at school. And also breast-fed babies, they have less risk of developing obesity and diabetes. That is for the baby. And not for the mother. Not for the breast-fed. It has been shown that it helps to reduce the risk of having a brain cancer and breast cancer. And also it's a lot of work with two mothers a day. So these are the benefits of breastfeeding. Some people, I know people who, the parents came back to them when they were past menopause. The breasts have been taken off by the ones that came before them. Maybe they are telling their family from instant. By the time the last bone came, the thing was gone. And you know the mama was maybe 42, 43, and there was nothing in there again. And then they gave them probably some of these baby food. But it turned out great. They were successful. They went to school. They were smart. They passed their exams and everything. The thing is this, they were just to write aside on what you just said. When a woman give birth, it's natural. There are some things that are forbidden in the body for all your moments. The moment a woman give birth, she will menstruate it for just breast milk. So you are expecting of the number of children who are having the one. You are expecting of an age. The process called a cascade. The moment a woman give birth, breast production starts. So you are expecting of the number of births we bring. Breast milk will always fall. Now that is totally amazing. That's totally, totally, totally amazing. So you've talked about breastfeeding the child, especially it's important you said in the first six months of the child's life. First six months. So is this as a public health physician with your experience in training, is this meant to be just a breast milk? I think they call it exclusive. Or can this is okay if it's done in conjunction with other baby food? Okay, thank you. For the first six months of life, the warden of the physician recommended that we should only give babies breast milk. Only breast milk. No water. If you put breast milk salt in milk, the breast milk is enough. And that's what we call exclusive. If a woman is giving a baby breast milk and what is she not doing? If a woman is giving a baby breast milk and some people are still not doing exclusive. So for the first six months of life, all the baby required is the breast milk. And it is only if a man gives just breast milk for the first six months of life, we station it for exclusive, exclusive breast milk. Okay, all right. And after those six months, what happens? Is the child taking off the breast milk? You know, or you know, is it continued? Okay, so breast milk is recommended only for the first six months of life. After which the mother can produce complementary feed. But still continue breastfeeding baby up to two years. That is what we recommend. So breast milk only for the first six months. After six months, she continues to be breastfeeding up to two years at this shop of complementary. So she gets other meals that she can give her baby in addition to breast milk. So breast milk doesn't stop by the end of six months. Breastfeeding continues up to two years. And why is that important to say this? It is important to continue breastfeeding for babies up to two years. Because studies have shown that by two years of age 20% of the grade is already given. So what the baby gets in those first two years of life is very, very important. So breast milk for the first six months of life and after six months she continues with the breast milk, she continues to breastfeed her baby and also as we mentioned feed for the baby to die. Interesting. You talked about, you know, it's an interesting fact of nature that once a woman gives birth, the milk begins to be produced and she can feed her child. But are there, it's a natural process. Are there things, foods, fruits, whatever, some sort of diet or nutrition that can be taken by women to enhance the quality and the production, a quantity of their breast milk? The best way to help milk production from the breast is to breastfeed. Because it's, when the more mother breastfeed the more the milk is put in. So you know, we've had cases of women complaining that their breast milk is not is not enough for their child but they feel that the breast is not really coming out. So they don't think it's difficult but they choose this to be produced. The baby must continue to suck. So as much as baby suck, when the baby suck out his baby, so the way to make the breast produce more milk is to continue to give the breast milk. And all these women can do is to take a lot of water. We are currently going to take a lot of water, take a lot of tap. So breastfeed baby, my baby is not getting enough breast milk to continue to breastfeed. The more you breastfeed the more the milk is being produced. So the sucking of the baby helps emulate the brain to help produce. Alright, let's look at some myths surrounding this issue of breastfeeding. Some people believe it's painful. Breastfeeding is not painful. Breastfeeding becomes painful when the woman not puts the baby to breast in the right way. So if the baby is not being put to breast in the right way then the woman can start having pain. But if she put the baby to breast in the right way, so that's why it's said that if you put that baby in the right way, mothers are to be trained how to properly breastfeed the baby. So if she breastfeed the baby in the proper way then she will not have pain. Breastfeeding is not painful. Alright, some people say for some mothers, the first few days of breastfeeding they'll know whether it's meant for them or not. So if you get it you can do it well in the first two or three days then it means that it's meant for you and if you can't get it maybe in the next two days or three days it means probably it's not meant for you to do. What do you say to that? Breastfeeding is for everyone. So it is important that mothers get into rights and they need the support of the matrions the better acceptance around the teaching them. It's women giving birth for the first time. The first time mothers and they think the baby is not taking it and not doing it the right way so they give up. Rather, they should be taught well to breastfeed breastfeeding is for all mothers because it contains the right movement of the baby. Some women are shy they feel that breastfeeding in front of people is a rude thing to do. Don't do it in front of the public. It's rude it's not respectful that people shouldn't see the mother breastfeeding the child. It's not a nice thing to do in the public space so they don't breastfeed even in public. Now that's what I said we question to the community so that breastfeeding is normal and sending normal can be done anyway and everybody can support the mother to breastfeed their baby. So education to the community so organization is needed so that mothers can be accepted to breastfeed their baby anyway. It should not be something to be shameful about that we are feeding the baby. Education is needed for the community to see it as a normal thing to do. Alright some people experience can you hear me madam? Some people you talked about this issue of pain before but I want to go back because some people get stores, they get wound when they breastfeed. I've even seen the case where the baby bites the mother's nipple so these are two things what do you say to that? Why do they get so sore or they get some sort of bruise when they breastfeed the child frequently sometimes they say it's paining me I'll stop for now, I won't do it let me rest for a day or two they can't continue because of that pain and also number two why do some children bite their mother's nipple? Okay So in the first six months most babies they don't have teeth so they can't breastfeed the mother's breast but as they grow older that's probably a point and also when mother complain of pain in the breast it's because they are not putting the baby's mouth in the breast right away so there is a way to do it don't do it the wrong way you may have sores, you may have cracks around the breast it's very important they know how to do it the right way if a mother does it the right way she will not have pain and even if she has pain it is not enough reason to still breastfeed the mother she can breastfeed the baby on the other breast that is not painful and still continue to breastfeed on the painful breast so usually children and babies they don't bite their mother except as they grow older they may just be children just they may just be children just trying to but really no babies don't really have that the reason for having sores and cracks most of the time the mother is not putting the baby to breast the right way not because the baby is not what is the right way I know it may be a bit difficult for you to demonstrate because you don't have a dummy baby there but what is the right way to put a child for a mother to put a baby to breast okay so the right way to breastfeed the woman breast has a part we call the nipple and also after the nipple we have a part called the areola you know I don't have any other name to call it that's what we call it so we have the pointed part which is the nipple then the other part which is the areola it is expected that when you put your baby to breast that's your baby's mouth surrounding the areola you know for some mothers the only part getting to the baby's mouth is the nipple but no the baby has to also spoke around the areola so we have to ensure that the baby in the breast properly enter the baby's mouth so at the time the baby is shot the baby has the nipple and the areola part of breast in his mouth interesting, interesting so that is the area surrounding the nipple you are not mistaken, this is the areola yes, yes okay, you talked about breastfeeding it needs to be exclusive for the first 6 months then it can be supplementary baby food being given to the baby from 6 months up to 2 years some people feel that if you give a child breastfeeding for till he is 2 years old you are going to spoil the child you are going to spoil the child and it is not a way to raise a child maybe after a while before 2 years you have to stop because if you continue that long some people say the child may start rejecting solid food okay, so it is important that if you want to reduce poverty then introduce it the right way and don't stop breastfeeding the baby you know the babies they can't be a sponsor if you breastfeed up to 2 years it is not true the reason why we encourage breastfeeding up to 2 years is because of the brain development because we know the breast milk contains what we need but it is no longer enough to sustain the baby energy well so we say okay stop breastfeeding so the problem comes not to breastfeed the baby but mothers not knowing how to have something nicely feed what their baby takes that is why most of the time the children they breastfeed other food and all they want to breastfeed but if the mother are thought even at about 6 months how to properly introduce local foods other meals to what they are going to do then it will not go into the house babies so the world not willing to breastfeed hmm one of the things that makes some mothers not want to breastfeed maybe at a particular time is because they have not cleaned washed the nipples and they will say they need to wash it before they breastfeed the child so they stay back from breastfeeding the child until they can find a way to wash the nipples is it necessary to wash the nipples before you breastfeed your baby no okay not at all I mean if your mother you are sweaty and everything wouldn't it be advisable to wash it before you give the child it is not it is not a criteria to wash the nipples your nipples will be different all right it is quite interesting nothing is talking she is talking more than breastfeeding all right so how many times a day should a child be breastfed because I am sure that mothers need to rest at some point from the stress of the day on all of this so how many times is it recommended is it every time the baby cries you just put something in the mouth or you have a set number of times that the baby should be breastfed in a day how to demand how to demand how to demand how to demand how to demand for the breast milk mother should breastfeed their baby and that is why they need the community to support them so it is easy for them to do okay we also told some people say you know what if you don't get to breastfeed your newborn child immediately you won't be able to do it so as the child pops up the first after birth you need to push your breast into the baby's mouth is that true it is recommended that baby should breastfeed okay so if you don't do that within the first hour maybe the mother is weak or she's been attended to in the house or something does it mean that she won't be able to breastfeed the child again no no no that is what you recommend with the World Health Organization recommend but a lot of situations arise a woman that does a decisions session may not I was put to sleep to deliver a baby may not be able to breastfeed a baby but the moment the mother is awake then the mother should put the baby to breastfeed what about mothers who are taking medication you know maybe they are sick it affects the breastfeeding okay it depends on the medication not on the medication are contraindicated some are and some are not the mother is taking any medication you need to discuss that with her doctor so that they can tell her if ma'am despite taking this medication you can still breastfeed your baby and if she can't then she should look for alternatives finally very shortly please how do you win the baby of breastfeeding especially for those who have gone 2 years on this how do you win them very quickly please so is that breastfeeding much better excluding for 6 months and like I said earlier you just give breast milk and demand but as the baby as the child grows older the child will take less of breast milk so that way we will win the child's milk and only some women will feed you probably will be giving the child breast milk and demand so this way the child will demand food you give you give something else so that way you know what tostina depoju has been lost a lot of tostina there can you hear me if not would like to call it a day at this point and thank you very much for your time she is a public health physician based in Lagos as we celebrate well breastfeeding week I think one of the takeaways is that she said breast milk is good for the mother and also good for the baby I didn't hear her say is good for the father so how about the men listening it's for the mother and for the baby thank you very much I was just on the light thank you very much for your time and happy breastfeeding week so all the men in the studio have been looking and laughing and swarming even in the control room you have to understand it's for the mother and for the baby we'll be right back up next to talk about privatization of public hospitals in Nigeria national president of the Nigerian Medical Association is our guest