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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
As the world marks World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) specialist has noted that breastfeeding is beneficial for both the mother and the baby, saying that working mothers can breastfeed exclusively for six months because breast milk can be stored.
The World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is being observed under the theme ‘Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet’.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, Al Wakra Hospital Lactation Specialist Dr Marwa Samir Hamdy said the aim of the week is to help increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding through enhanced awareness of the importance of breastfeeding, and how it is good for mothers, babies and the whole community.
She explained that exclusive breastfeeding means to feed the babies only breast milk for the first six months without water or anything else and then continue to breastfeed after that with the introduction of complimentary food for two years.
According to her, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuous breastfeeding until the baby is two years has many benefits for the child as well as the mother and the community.
“The breast milk will protect the baby from lots of diseases. The breast milk is the first vaccination to the baby because it gives the baby antibodies from the mother which make the baby’s body to be protected against many infections,” Dr Hamdy said.
She said many researches have shown that breastfed babies are more protected against diseases like allergies, eczema, asthma, obesity, type 1 or 2 diabetes, blood diseases (like leukemia), among others.
“The breast milk is very helpful for the baby for it helps the growth of all the systems. For instance, the brain cells grow better with breast milk, especially for premature babies. Their IQ is higher if they are breastfed.”
She reiterated that the digestive, renal, endocrine and other systems as well as bones grow better with breast milk.
“All nutrients are available in the breast milk. The only thing that we add is Vitamin D drops because Vitamin D is got from the sun when the body is exposed to the sun and here the weather is hot so people are not usually exposed to sun,” Dr Hamdy said.
She said it is also helpful for mothers because it can prevent haemorrhage that can happen after delivery; uterus to return to its normal size; loss of weight that the mother gained during pregnancy; and prevention of after-delivery blues and depression that some mothers would be susceptible to.
Dr Hamdy explained that, for working mothers, their babies can still be fed breast milk.
She said, “Babies are the ones who help the mothers to produce the milk by sucking. So, it will help the body to start producing the milk. A few days before she resumes to work after maternity leave, she can start pumping and storing her milk. Breast milk can be stored in the fridge for about five to six days and in the freezer for about three months. She can store some milk and while at work, she can still pump the milk during her break time. Working mothers can still breastfeed exclusively for six months because breast milk can be stored.”
Dr Hamdy said, this year, they did not plan live activities for the week due to COVID-19 but, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, prepared seven messages that are being distributed on social media platforms each day.
The messages include ‘breastfeeding is the first vaccination for the baby’, ‘breastfeeding helps the mother to lose weight gained during pregnancy’, ‘breastfeeding helps to protect children against many diseases’, ‘working mothers can breastfeed because breast milk can be stored’, ‘the mother can always ask for help’, among others.
“Our aim is to encourage breastfeeding because through this we will have healthy individuals and healthy community,” she added.
The Breastfeeding Week was started by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in 1992 WHO/UNICEF to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.
DOHA
As the world marks World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) specialist has noted that breastfeeding is beneficial for both the mother and the baby, saying that working mothers can breastfeed exclusively for six months because breast milk can be stored.
The World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is being observed under the theme ‘Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet’.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, Al Wakra Hospital Lactation Specialist Dr Marwa Samir Hamdy said the aim of the week is to help increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding through enhanced awareness of the importance of breastfeeding, and how it is good for mothers, babies and the whole community.
She explained that exclusive breastfeeding means to feed the babies only breast milk for the first six months without water or anything else and then continue to breastfeed after that with the introduction of complimentary food for two years.
According to her, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuous breastfeeding until the baby is two years has many benefits for the child as well as the mother and the community.
“The breast milk will protect the baby from lots of diseases. The breast milk is the first vaccination to the baby because it gives the baby antibodies from the mother which make the baby’s body to be protected against many infections,” Dr Hamdy said.
She said many researches have shown that breastfed babies are more protected against diseases like allergies, eczema, asthma, obesity, type 1 or 2 diabetes, blood diseases (like leukemia), among others.
“The breast milk is very helpful for the baby for it helps the growth of all the systems. For instance, the brain cells grow better with breast milk, especially for premature babies. Their IQ is higher if they are breastfed.”
She reiterated that the digestive, renal, endocrine and other systems as well as bones grow better with breast milk.
“All nutrients are available in the breast milk. The only thing that we add is Vitamin D drops because Vitamin D is got from the sun when the body is exposed to the sun and here the weather is hot so people are not usually exposed to sun,” Dr Hamdy said.
She said it is also helpful for mothers because it can prevent haemorrhage that can happen after delivery; uterus to return to its normal size; loss of weight that the mother gained during pregnancy; and prevention of after-delivery blues and depression that some mothers would be susceptible to.
Dr Hamdy explained that, for working mothers, their babies can still be fed breast milk.
She said, “Babies are the ones who help the mothers to produce the milk by sucking. So, it will help the body to start producing the milk. A few days before she resumes to work after maternity leave, she can start pumping and storing her milk. Breast milk can be stored in the fridge for about five to six days and in the freezer for about three months. She can store some milk and while at work, she can still pump the milk during her break time. Working mothers can still breastfeed exclusively for six months because breast milk can be stored.”
Dr Hamdy said, this year, they did not plan live activities for the week due to COVID-19 but, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, prepared seven messages that are being distributed on social media platforms each day.
The messages include ‘breastfeeding is the first vaccination for the baby’, ‘breastfeeding helps the mother to lose weight gained during pregnancy’, ‘breastfeeding helps to protect children against many diseases’, ‘working mothers can breastfeed because breast milk can be stored’, ‘the mother can always ask for help’, among others.
“Our aim is to encourage breastfeeding because through this we will have healthy individuals and healthy community,” she added.
The Breastfeeding Week was started by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in 1992 WHO/UNICEF to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.
