The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services encourages residents and visitors alike of the Turks and Caicos Islands to join the World in celebrating and promoting breastfeeding during the month of August 2016.
World Breastfeeding Week/Month 2016, which began 1st of August, is dedicated to demonstrating how breastfeeding, among many other actions, can support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in 2015, which aim to end poverty, protect the environment and ensure prosperity through improved policies and programmes. Several countries around the world have committed to achieving all 17 SDGs by 2030. The first three goals (1) no poverty, 2) zero hunger and 3) good health and well-being) can be partially achieved by encouraging exclusive breastfeeding within the first six (6) months of life or longer.
There are several reasons why mothers should breastfeed their children. Listed below are just a few of the major benefits of breastfeeding:
• Human milk 1) provides the ideal balance of nutrients for an infant’s growth and development, 2) reduces the risk of infectious and chronic diseases, 3) protects mothers’ and infants’ health, and 4) reduces the risk of childhood obesity.
o Breastfeeding 6 months or longer compared to no or shorter breastfeeding is associated with a reduction of childhood leukemia of 19%
o Babies who are breastfed are 60 percent less likely to die from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) compared to those not breastfed. The effect is even greater for infants who are exclusively breastfed.
o Adults who were breastfed as children score 3.3 points higher on cognitive development indicators, which leads to more years of schooling.
o Longer breastfeeding reduces the risk of overweight/obesity by 13%, helping to fight chronic diseases caused by obesity. It also lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 35%.
o Women who breastfeed compared with women who don’t or who breastfeed less, have a 32% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, a 26% lower risk of breast cancer and a 37% lower risk of ovarian cancer.
o Mother-child bonding is enhanced when mothers interact with their infants while breastfeeding. Longer breastfeeding is associated with more sensitive maternal responsiveness and the security that comes with attachment.
Breastfeeding has been established as a public health imperative by the international community. WHO and UNICEF encourages all countries to take the following actions:
1. Fully implement international guidelines through legislation, monitoring and enforcement to prevent the inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes, including infant formula, feeding bottles, nipples, follow-on milks and related products.
2. Institute workplace policies in support of breastfeeding. This action has shown to increase employee retention, performance, loyalty, productivity and morale.
3. Implement the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” in maternity facilities.
4. Improve access to skilled lactation counselling.
5. Strengthen links between health facilities and communities to support breastfeeding.
6. Create monitoring systems that track the progress of policies, programmes, and funds toward achieving both national and global breastfeeding targets.
The Ministry’s Primary Health Care Department and TCI Hospital supports exclusive breastfeeding of infants within the first 6 months of life or longer and have been working collaboratively to strengthen our breastfeeding initiatives. For the entire month of August, all Government Primary Health Care Clinics throughout the islands will be answering frequently asked questions and sharing information about breastfeeding during antenatal and well-baby clinics. We also encourage everyone to listen to our next Health Matters Programme on Radio Turks and Caicos which will be focused on the topic of breastfeeding.
For more information about breastfeeding and activities that will take place during this month, contact the Nutritionist, Mrs. Lakeisha Wilson, at 338-5470, or a Government Primary Health Care Clinic on your island.
