The Jigawa State Nutrition Office has reacted to a belief by women that exclusive breast feeding causes breasts to sag.
Malam Sa’idu Umar State, Chief Nutrition Officer, spoke in an exclusive interview with Daily Post to mark the world breast feeding week with the Theme “Join Hands! Support Exclusive Breastfeeding”.
He explained that research proved that breastfeeding does not in anyway negatively affect breast shape or volume.
He described the act of some nursing mother’s who prefer not to exclusively breastfeed their babies for fear of breast sagging or flattening as a myth.
“So whether or not a nursing woman exclusively breastfeeds her child, the breast will still fall later in her life when it is time for the breast to rest,” he said.
According to the research, he said: “Sagging of breasts might be more noticeable with each subsequent pregnancy therefore during pregnancy, the ligaments that support breasts might stretch because the breasts get fuller and heavier.
“It however said making healthy lifestyle, such as regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet and quit smoking help in maintaining the appearance of women breasts at any stage of life”
The state nutrition officer therefore noted that exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nourishment for infants and young children, which helps protect children against several common childhood illnesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia which subsequently lead to his death.
He said exclusive breast feeding also helps in physical, mental and cognitive growth love and bond between the mother and the child.
” There is need for nursing mothers to look at the benefits of the breast feeding on the future of the child than any other things,” he said
He however advised nursing mothers to immediately give their babies the first milk a mother produces, because is the natural immune system booster of a child.
