Awareness drive begins in city
''Breast-feeding improves emotional bonding between the mother and child,'' observed noted paediatrician Dr U G Shenoy. Another advantage is that breast-feeding the child improves its immunity to diseases, he added.
He was speaking at an awareness programme organised as part of the breast-feeding week organised jointly by Family Planning Association (FPA) and Rotary Mysore Midtown for college students at Maharani’s Women’s Science College here on Monday.
Addressing college students, he said: “With changing times, many women who go to work refrain from feeding the child with breast milk due to lack of time. However, it is advisable to feed the baby with the mother’s milk for at least six months. After six months, the baby has to be initiated into eating solids as well.”
Another myth that has grown among women is that breast-feeding decreases their beauty and increases fat content in them. Dr Shenoy said breast-feeding the baby helps mothers lose calories and also dissolves excess fat.
‘Hygiene standards low’
Mentioning that hygiene standards are poor in the country, Dr Shenoy mentioned that feeding the baby with breast milk would drastically reduce chances of infection, as they would have avoided bottles, which at many times are not sterilised properly.
Many a times, people believe in the false notion that the first time milk is extracted from mother it shouldn’t be given to the baby. But in reality, the first time a baby gets milk from the mother, it happens to be its first immunisation.
There is no fixed time for feeding breast milk. In a few women, breast milk doesn’t form probably due to psychological issues. When a woman gets pregnant, she has to be told about the importance of breast-feeding.
FPA president Maddikere Gopal, honorary secretary Heramba R Bhatta, G S Bhatta, Rotary Mysore Midtown president S Raghavendra, secretary R Venkatesh, Manoj and Sadiq Pasha were present.
Milk Bank soon
Paediatrician Dr U G Shenoy mentioned that similar to blood banks, there is a possibility of breast milk bank being set-up. He said breast milk could be pooled in from different donors and then given to a baby who is deprived of nature’s elixir for various reasons.
