Nursing mothers have stated that the hunger and inability to meet their daily dietary needs have hindered their ability to breastfeed their under-six-month-old infants exclusively.
These mothers said they have resorted to supplementing their breast milk by giving their babies water and locally made foods such as pap.
They believe that breastfeeding while hungry might affect their health, reduce the quantity of their breast milk, and leave their babies unsatisfied.
However, maternal and nutrition experts who spoke to PUNCH Healthwise, explained that while hunger can affect the quality of breast milk, it does not impact its quantity.
They emphasised that even if mothers cannot afford a balanced diet due to rising food costs, they can still produce enough breast milk if the baby latches on properly.
The expert appealed to lactating mothers that exclusive breastfeeding was cheaper and healthier than alternative food.
To ensure equal access to breastfeeding support, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund called for improving global breastfeeding rates on Thursday.
In a joint statement signed by UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, and WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, in honour of World Breastfeeding Week, they highlighted that over the last 12 years, only 48 per cent of infants worldwide have been exclusively breastfed.
WBW, celebrated annually from August 1st to 7th, aims to raise awareness and promote the benefits of breastfeeding.
This year’s theme is “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All.”
An article by World Vision International titled “Making Breastfeeding Work in a Hunger Crisis” noted that stress, hunger, and disruptions to daily routines make breastfeeding challenging.
It mentioned that stress could affect the flow of a mother’s milk, making infants fussy, which can be misinterpreted as an insufficient milk supply.
Additionally, a study conducted in Kenya found that hunger among mothers contributed to a perception of milk insufficiency and undermined their confidence in their ability to breastfeed.
Speaking to PUNCH Healthwise, a lactating mother, Mrs Anu Olatunde expressed her desire to breastfeed her four-month-old son exclusively, but her hunger situation prevented her from doing so.
“The little food I have is not enough to satisfy me, so I no longer give my son breast milk alone. I have begun to add water and some other baby foods when it is available,” she sadly said.
A trader, Mrs Shade Olawale, no longer exclusively breastfeeds her two-month-old baby because the current economic situation has left her unable to “eat to her fill.”
“It is not at this time that I can do exclusive breastfeeding. I have added water and pap mixed with milk because I don’t eat well,” she said.
Another lactating mother with a four-month-old daughter, Mrs Afolabi, said, “I don’t exclusively breastfeed my baby since I no longer eat well myself. I have started giving her water, pap, milk, and sometimes custard, and she accepts them.”
A nursery school teacher, Mrs Abiola Adebayo, understands that her four-month-old should be exclusively breastfed, but the economic situation prevented her from doing so.
“My four-month-old is only supposed to take breast milk but now I give him water and pap without sugar. I also prepare semovita and ewedu for him. I don’t eat well so the breast milk won’t be enough for him,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Dr Folashade Oludara, emphasised that lactating mothers require support from religious, community, and family members to achieve exclusive breastfeeding.
“During pregnancy, you need an extra meal per day to ensure you don’t have anaemia. And when you have your baby, you need two extra meals per day in addition to what you were used to before so you can bring good quality breast milk out for the baby,” Oludara said.
Professor Abubakar Panti
Professor Abubakar Panti
A professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State, Abubakar Panti, stated that rising hunger in the country has little impact on exclusive breastfeeding, emphasising that breast milk production is not limited by the amount of food a mother consumes.
However, he noted that the quality of a lactating mother’s diet does affect the quality of the milk.
“Hunger would not affect the breast milk volume but rather it would affect the quality. Fatty acids and water-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, B, C B6, and B12 can be reduced in breast milk if the mother does not take diets containing those vitamins. Even if the mother is hungry, the baby will still get enough milk from the mother but the mother’s health will be affected,” the gynaecologist said.
He, however, noted that in severe cases when the mother was deficient in Vitamin B6, the child was at risk of infantile beriberi.
The don further noted that in severe cases of malnutrition in lactating mothers, breast milk production is not affected, especially during the first six months.
He added that the evidence of malnutrition would begin to show in the child after six months when the needed supplementary meals are unavailable.
Panti advised breastfeeding mothers to drink adequate water to facilitate breast milk production.
Professor Beatrice Ogunba
Professor Beatrice Ogunba
Similarly, a professor of Public Health Nutrition at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Beatrice Ogunba, emphasised that exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of a child’s life.
She asserted that the mother’s diet does not affect the frequency and quantity of milk production, and encouraged lactating mothers to ensure they stay well hydrated.
The Researcher on Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding said, “What affects the frequency of milk is the frequency of latching of that baby on the breast. It’s not the quantity of mother’s food that affects milk production. So the more you put the baby to the breast and the more the baby latches on the breast, the more the milk is produced by the mother.
“So I think the problem is information and like the World Breastfeeding Week, we should close the gap when it comes to breastfeeding information. We should give the mother the right information and what affects frequency is just the number of times that you breastfeed the baby in a day. A lactating mother is supposed to breastfeed a minimum of eight to 12 times a day. So the more you put the baby in the breast, the more milk the body produces. But when you reduce the frequency, the production will be reduced.”
Ogunba advised mothers who could not afford expensive proteins to seek cheaper alternatives like crayfish and locust beans.
“There is an alternative to expensive foods. If milk is expensive, go for soya milk. If it is meat or fish that is expensive, go for crayfish and locust beans,” she advised.
She further urged nursing mothers to eat good food, hydrate themselves and ensure their babies latch properly to their breasts to ensure adequate milk production.
Also, a Chief Dietitian Nutritionist, Olufunmilola Ogunmiluyi, stated that reduction of food intake may decrease milk supply and much-needed energy levels in nursing mothers.
Olufunmilola Ogunmiluyi
“Hunger will decrease the quantity of breast milk. Breastfeeding is hard work! Your body needs more calories and nutrients to keep you and your baby nourished and healthy. Eating too few calories or too few nutrient-rich foods can negatively affect the quality of your breast milk and be detrimental to breastfeeding mothers’ health,” the Nutritionist said.
She encouraged breastfeeding mothers to daily eat dark green and yellow vegetables, proteins, fruits, and whole grains.
