World Breast Feeding Week begins

Saturday, August 4, 2007

World Breast Feeding Week begins
 

'Breast feeding helps reduce infant, maternal mortality'
 

DH News Service, Mangalore:

 
 
 


Mother’s milk is the only suitable and preferable food for the new born baby, said District RCH officer Dr Rajesh B V.

Speaking after inaugurating the World Breast feeding week celebrations at Fr Muller Medical College Hospital here on Friday, he said that breast milk provides immunity to the child and helps the mother to come back to normal state soon after delivery. It also helps in reducing the infant and maternal mortality rate, he added and advised all mothers to continue breast feeding for 2 years after delivery.

FMMCH Administrator Fr Denis D’Sa in his address stressed on the importance of harmonious relationships and flayed the rupture of relationships in the modern times. Nature is the greatest gift of god, she provides us everything, he said and added that breast milk is also nature’s gift. It is a symbol of compassion and sacrifice, he said. Finally, he urged the organisers, the Fr Muller School of Nursing, to organise similar programmes in the rural areas in the language of the people with the help of skits and songs.

Vice Principal of College of Nursing at Kovai Medical Centre in Coimbatore, Maria Mol Papu was the resource person for the day. Head of the Department of Paediatrics Dr K Varadaraj Shenoy, FMCI Director Fr Partick Rodrigues, Nursing College Vice Principal Prema D’Souza and others were present on the occasion. A video on Breast crawling was screened on the occasion.

The world breast feeding week is observed every year from August 1 to 7 under the guidelines of World Alliance for Breast Feeding Action (WABA). The theme of the week this year is ‘Breast Feeding- The 1st hour: Save one million babies’.

In YMC

Department of community medicine in Yenepoya Medical College conducted an awareness programme for students of the tailoring training centre in Kotepura as part of the World Breast Feeding week. Dr Shazia of the department presided and spoke on the theme. Dr Sauda, an interne, made a detailed presentation on breast feeding- its importance, feeding practices, superstitions and hygiene. Senior Health Educator Irene Veigas, Medico social worker Athika and others were present on the occasion.