Chennai: Despite World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) assessment showing that India has improved in terms of breastfeeding awareness since 2012, it has been found that the state has a low percentage of women who breastfeed their babies completely for the first six months.
“There is a difference between awareness and practice. As is in the case of road safety rules, there is a large population aware of the importance of breastfeeding, but not many practise it,” said Gopinath Rao, Neonatal Pediatrician, Motherhood Hospital.
According to a 2015 report, in South India, Tamil Nadu lagged behind in terms of complete breastfeeding with only 18.8 per cent, while Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh were a little ahead with 22 per cent.
In a research article published by Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), it had been stated that “effective breastfeeding is a function of the proper positioning and attachment of the child to the breast. It is a natural act and is also a learned behaviour.”
“Teaching women how to breastfeed, is highly essential as first time mothers tend to get nervous in the beginning,” said S. Viramuthu, a Neonatologist. “Each hospital, be it government or private, and primary health care centre, must all have counsellors who could counsel first time mothers on how to breastfeed.”
“A friend of mine was upset that she wasn’t producing enough milk for her baby in the first few months, that she started giving the baby diluted cow’s milk. Only after she met a nurse and received counselling, did she realise the importance of completely breastfeeding her baby for the first six months,” said Muthulakshmi of Adyar.
According to the World Health Organisation, breastfeeding the baby, from day-I, until the age of six months, is a must. “I have seen cases of mothers feeding their baby honey or sweetened water. There are many others, especially in rural Tamil Nadu, who give their babies cow’s milk even on the first day,” said Rao.
“Awareness is yet to increase in the state, more so, in rural areas as the percentage of those who completely breastfeed their babies is pretty dismal,” he dismal.
