Mother's Milk Complete Food For Baby, Says Specialist Doctors

Specialist doctors on Wednesday said that the milk of mother was a complete food for the baby, it was necessary for the healthy growth and development of the child and protects children from other diseases, the child should be exclusively breastfed for six months

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Aug, 2022 ) :Specialist doctors on Wednesday said that the milk of mother was a complete food for the baby, it was necessary for the healthy growth and development of the child and protects children from other diseases, the child should be exclusively breastfed for six months.

These views were expressed by Health Secretary Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, Doctor General Health Dr. Noor Qazi, National Program for Lady Health Workers Provincial Coordinator Dr. Sami Kakar, UNICEF Child for Development Specialist Humayun Amiri, Mercy Corps Dr. Saeedullah Khan, DHO Quetta Dr. Nurbakhsh Bizenjo, Dr. Ayesha. Siddiqa, Dr. Imdad Achakzai, UNICEF Nutrition Officer Imran Ali Jatoi, Dr. Bashira Baru, Bakht Nasrkasi and others at an awareness seminar organized at the Boy Scouts headquarters with the support of the National Program for Lady Health Workers, UNICEF and Mercy Corps.

They said that breast milk should be fed to the newborn within the first hour of birth, colostrum was full of protective components and was very useful and healthy for the baby.

Breast milk was best for the baby, do not give any type of formula of milk to the baby without consult of doctor as it increases the risk of the baby getting sick, they added.

The speakers said to start complementary feeding from the age of six months because the baby needs extra food along with mother's milk for good growth also adding that mother's milk cleans the child's stomach and increases the child's immunity against diseases.

The child should not be given any other drink, such as water, coffee or tea, except mother's milk for six months, they noted, adding that that the law has prevented the sale of synthetic formula as a substitute for mother's milk to the public.

They underlined that after six months, the baby should be given adequate amount of khichdi, seasonal vegetables (carrot, spinach, potato etc.) with mince, rice, rice pudding, porridge needles, boiled mashed potatoes, butter, egg, banana and seasonal fruits, along with the age of the child, the amount of food should also be increased.

Doctors said that the Department of Health National Program for Lady Health Workers Program organized a seminar in the month of August every year as the month of awareness about the benefits of mother's milk.

Awareness seminars, walks are organized in different areas and lady health workers go door to door to educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, they mentioned.