MoH bats for exclusive breastfeeding

DESPITE numerous health benefits attributed to exclusive breastfeeding, only 26.7 per cent of babies in Brunei are breastfed exclusively for the first six months of their life.

Fifty per cent of Bruneian mothers also cease breastfeeding after eight months, according to the National Health and Dietary Survey 2009-2011. The study sampled 394 children between zero and 24 months of age.

The statistic was rated three out of ten by the International Baby Food Action Network, a group of public interest bodies which works to improve the health and well-being of children and mothers through the promotion and support of breastfeeding.

Despite the relatively low figures, the number of mothers who breastfeed and duration of nursing has increased in the past 10 years, said Minister of Health during the launch of World Breastfeeding Week yesterday.

Seventy per cent of mothers do exclusively breastfeed for the first month of an infant's life, although the rate drops to 50 per cent when the infant reaches two months, said Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Md Yusof.

"Seventy-three per cent of mothers prefer to bottle-feed their babies in the first year, whether it is in addition to breastfeeding or as the only method of nutrition," he said.

For the past year, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has been aggressively promoting the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, such as increased antibodies and prevention of diseases like obesity and diabetes, in a drive to get mothers to shun milk formulae in favour of breast milk for the first six months of a newborn's life.

Several measures have been introduced to encourage mothers to breastfeed their children for longer, such as increasing mandatory maternity leave from 56 to 105 days and providing improved community health services.

However, the Sultanate still faces challenges in implementing this goal, as nursing mothers are faced with a lack of purpose-built places they can breastfeed outside the home.

The minister stressed that government and private sector agencies need to cooperate to provide facilities for women to breastfeed in privacy and comfort in the workplace, shopping centres and public areas.

"With the rate of breastfeeding dropping after two months, we all play a role in improving the rate and duration of breastfeeding as recommended by the World Health Organisation, " said Pehin Dato Hj Adanan.

Encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for six months can also be a preventive measure for various diseases and save medical costs for the treatment of disease, he added. Themed, "Talk to me! Breastfeeding - a 3D experience", World Breastfeeding Week will run from August 6 to 12 at the Health Promotion Centre, Berakas and features exhibitions on breastfeeding success stories from maternal health clinics in the country.The Brunei Times