The Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) is ramping up its campaign for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for babies from birth to six months and complementary feeding up to 2 years old, as a long-term strategy to combat malnutrition.
In a press conference on Thursday, CHO Nurse IV Heidi Gomez said for EBF, babies within six months should be fed only with mother’s milk – no water and vitamins.
For complementary feeding, infants are provided food and liquids in addition to breastmilk.
Among those recommended for complementary feeding are mashed potatoes, vegetables, and easily digestible foods.
“This advocacy aims to lessen, if not eradicate, malnutrition until adulthood,” Gomez said, adding that exclusively breastfed children are 100 percent healthier than those who are fed formula milk.
“This initiative aims to reduce, if not eliminate, malnutrition well into adulthood,” she added.
Gomez said they have been intensifying the advocacy, targeting mothers during prenatal and post-partum consultations.
They also have peer counselors in barangays to teach mothers the proper way of breastfeeding.
She added that there are also mother and baby-friendly workplaces where lactating mothers can continue breastfeeding once they return to their offices.
She also noted that EBF contributes to natural family planning, as breastfeeding triggers oxytocin production, helping the uterus contract and delaying the return of fertility. (PNA)
