Breast milk helps strengthen the immunity of newborns. Children who are breastfed during the first hour of life are less predisposed to become obese or to suffer from diabetes, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases during life. Also, breastfeeding mothers are less exposed to the risk of developing beast cancer, cervical and ovarian cancer and osteoporosis, IPN reports.
In a news conference held on the World Breastfeeding Week that is marked on August 1-7, Deputy Minister of Health Svetlana Cotelea said it is recommended feeding the child on breast milk exclusively during the first six months of life. Even if the baby is also fed on artificial milk, breastfeeding should be continued until the child turns two. “There are also breastfeeding rules. It is important that the child should be breastfeed the first time during the first hour of life so that there is direct contact between the mother and baby. It is important to avoid feeding bottles and pacifiers,” she stated.
A Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health shows that only 60% of the newborns in Moldova are breastfed during the first hour of life and only one third of them are fed on breast milk exclusively during the first six months of life. Breastfeeding can be affected by the mother’s tiredness, the lack of support on the part of the partner and family, the job, etc.
Svetlana Cotelea said the Ministry of Health aims to reach a rate of breastfeeding during the six months of life of 60% by 2020 and a set of legislative initiatives were prepared for the purpose. The breastfeeding mothers will be allowed to go home from work to breastfed the child during the workday. The authorities count on the support of economic entities, which can set up special breastfeeding places at the workplace.
In this connection, UNICEF Representative in Moldova Nune Mangasaryan said that breastfeeding is the main factor that reduces death rate among children. Immediate breastfeeding, starting with the first hour of life, can prevent one in five deaths worldwide, which is over half a million children. “If we want to reduce mortality among children, we must encourage breastfeeding. In poorly developed states most of the deaths among children occur during the first days of life and this is neonatal mortality. In this case, the role of breastfeeding is enormous,” she stated, adding that studies show the babies breastfed during the first hours of life have two times more chances of survival.
