Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has urged nursing mothers and pregnant women to be mindful of the many benefits of exclusive breast-feeding and advised them to avail all their children of the great opportunity.
She gave the advice to mark the occasion of this year’s World Breast-Feeding Week. In a press release signed by Mrs. Folashade Kadiri, Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Office of the Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, the first lady noted that the benefits of breast milk to the infant were too profound to be ignored, as it was an important foundation for a baby’s life.
She said putting a baby to the breast in the first hour of life was a major safeguard against infant’s death, adding that exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months, help them to grow well, prevents mal-nutrition, promotes brain development while reducing the risk of overweight.
“God who created it in His own special way to be baby-friendly, has made it the most important and most beneficial type of food a baby gets to know. Nursing mothers should not make excuses of their jobs or career for not doing exclusive breastfeeding because the advantages to the baby are too many”, she submitted.
The governor’s wife commended the theme for this year: “Breastfeeding: Foundation for Life”, describing it as the basic truth about the practice.
She explained further that breastfeeding was good bonding between mother and infant, adding that improved breastfeeding practices around the world could save the lives of nearly one million children under five years, according to international health bodies.
Many Lagos residents have commended the Lagos State government for also extending paternity leave to working fathers in the state civil service.
