The first embrace, the life-saving skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth between the baby and its mother, is the heart of Early Essential Newborn Care – EENC, says the World Health Organisation.

The World Health Organisation has said that there are several ways to support mothers in breastfeeding starting with “Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC),” and claims that the first embrace increases rates of early initiation of breastfeeding once feeding cues from the babies occur.

Through colostrums, the first milk secreted from the mother’s breast, newborns are provided essential nutrients, antibodies and immune cells to protect them against diseases.

WHO Representative to Laos Dr Juliet Fleischl said at a meeting held to mark World Breastfeeding Day last week that the full implementation of the International Code Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (an international health policy framework for breastfeeding promotion adopted by the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization in 1981) is critical to efforts to protect breastfeeding in hospitals and other health facilities. 

The intent of the International Code is to protect infants, young children, caregivers and health professionals from the inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes, feeding bottles and teats.

Another key intervention to protect breastfeeding includes the implementation of “Maternity protection,” including paid leave for working mothers.

“The Lao government has taken bold steps to increase maternity leave from 3 to 5 months for natural births and six months for births by caesarean section,” said Dr Phath Keungsaneth, Director General, Hygiene and Health Promotion Department, Ministry of Health.

However, Dr Phath said that this incentive is available only to civil servants and that private companies are now being encouraged to comply with the government policy and enable working mothers to provide their children with the best starts in life.

The UN partners, in collaboration with other development partners, remain committed to support the Lao government and the Ministry of Health in achieving better nutritional status for the people of Laos starting with the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding.

Source:
courtesy of KPL NEWS AGENCY

by Manithone

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