By; UANGBAOJE ALEX, Kaduna
As part of activities to commemorate the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Kaduna State Chapter in partnership with the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board (KDSPHCB) yesterday, held a sensitization meeting with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Rido Ward of Chikun Local Government Area in the state.
The sensitization was centered around early initiation, exclusive breastfeeding and complimentary feeding.
WBW, is celebrated globally from 1st to 7th of August annually to address issues relating to poor early initiation of breastfeeding (within 1 hour of birth), exclusive breastfeeding of infants for a period of 6 months, and introduction of appropriate complementary feeding from 6 months and above, as well as continued breastfeeding up to 2 years or beyond.
After listening to messages from various speakers, the TBAs said they are now more equipped and ready to help women in their communities deliver healthy babies.
According to Tabitha Adamu, who spoke on behalf of the TBAs, even though they have had years of experiences in delivery pregnant women, they don’t usually give much attention to early initiation of breastfeeding by ensuring the first milk from the mothers are not wasted.
She said the sensitization also opened their eyes to the fact that even though women in the communities can deliver outside the medical facilities, it important that they encourage them to go for their Antea Natal Care(ANC), so as to make the delivery effortless for the TBAs.
“This meeting is so timely and I can guarantee you that no woman will deliver under our care that will not breastfeed their babies immediately.
“Henceforth, we will also make sure that even after giving birth, we follow up on them for regular counseling and encouragement on exclusive breastfeeding and complimentary feeding.” Tabitha added.
Earlier while addressing the women, CS-SUNN team lead to the community, Elizabeth David, noted that the sensitization was so important for the TBAs to be knowledgeable about early initiation, exclusive breastfeeding and complimentary feeding because apart from the fact that they take their deliveries, the women also go back to them for advice.
“If they don’t have the knowledge, they will give them wrong information and at the end of the day we will have a wrong result.” She said.
She told the women that exclusive breastfeeding benefits both the mother her child, the family, community and the society at large and that as those saddled with the responsibility of helping women deliver, knowledge of what they do is key.
