UNICEF organizes exclusive breastfeeding awareness Campaign for rural women in Cross River
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has organized an awareness Campaign for rural communities in Cross River state focused on exclusive breastfeeding, family planning, and women’s and children’s health.
The campaign took place over the week at the Ikot Offiong Ambai Primary Health Centre in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
Dr Winifred Ogar, the Cross River State Nutrition Officer, (SNO) during the event educated women on proper breastfeeding positions, emphasizing the importance of the armpit and cradle hold.
She also encouraged women to eat two extra meals a day to support breastfeeding and urged men to provide the necessary funds for women to access food and eat well.
Ogar said, “It is easy to breastfeed twins using these methods especially the armpit hold and it is important that mothers must feed well and drink much water, position yourself well you will not have any problem breastfeeding your child.
“The initiation of breastfeeding a child is the first hour immediately after delivery. It is very important for child development and we encourage health workers to do the clean up of the baby immediately after delivery while that process is on instead of taking the baby away for cleaning before breastfeeding”.
On some stereotypes on breastfeeding, she said, “Let nobody deceive you, breastfeeding a child is the mandate God has given mothers. If you refuse to breastfeed a child exclusively for six months and continuously breastfeed for two years and above, you are depriving that child of his or her right”.
Similarly, The Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Coordinator in the State Primary Health Care, Mrs. Margaret Ananshie, on her part, enlightened the women on breastfeeding and opined that, “Early initiation of breastfeeding one hour at birth is very important because it improves bonding, helps in early detachment of the placenta and helps mothers to bleed minimally”.
Mrs. Gift Effiong Edem, who is in charge of family planning in the Centre, said “In this community, we gather women to talk about breastfeeding, family planning, and associated diseases”.
According to Mrs. Edem, “Family planning helps the women to control their birth rate as they do not give birth carelessly, they are very happy and their husbands are very happy because they have a limited number of children”.
According to her, “It is very effective and safe. It reduces death rates and helps women to plan”.
The women were enthusiastic and excited about the program, as they understood the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the growth and development of their children.
The chant they sang reflected their commitment to being good mothers and providing the best nutrition for their babies.
The program aimed to raise awareness among women in rural communities about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and encourage them to practice it.
Mrs. Esu Antigha, the LGA Focal Person, and Mrs. Atim Okon, senior staff in the Centre, emphasized the significance of the program in promoting the health and well-being of both women and children.
Senior staff of the center, Mrs. Atim Okon, also spoke and maintained that the main essence of the event was to create awareness for women as it focuses specifically on women and their babies in rural areas.
Hundreds of nursing mothers from the area and the environs attended the program with their babies.
