Dateline Dehradun: An awareness program was organized at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant under World Breastfeeding Week to educate mothers about breastfeeding their infants. Information was provided about the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and newborns.
The Department of Community Medicine at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences and the Himalayan Hospital conducted a week-long awareness campaign in the rural areas around Doiwala. During this campaign, mothers of newborns were informed about the importance of breastfeeding. Department Head Dr. Ashok Kumar Srivastava stated that the first breastfeeding session is beneficial for both the mother’s and the newborn’s health. The mother’s first thick yellow milk is the baby’s first vaccination, providing essential minerals and immunity against diseases. He mentioned that the goal of celebrating Breastfeeding Week is to make mothers aware of its benefits. Breastfeeding can reduce infant mortality rates and malnutrition by 19%. The first milk of the mother is rich in vitamins, helps clean the infant’s intestines, and protects the baby from jaundice.
Dr. Surabhi Mishra mentioned that due to lack of awareness, there is a misconception that the first milk can be harmful. To dispel this myth, this weekly campaign is being run. She informed that a mother can start breastfeeding her baby approximately half an hour after birth. In the case of a cesarean delivery, the mother can start breastfeeding about four hours after the operation or once the effects of anesthesia wear off. Doing so keeps both the baby and mother healthy, accelerates the baby’s intellectual development, and reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and hypertension later in life.
Dr. Avni Gupta, Dr. Chirag Joshi, Dr. Sudiksha Sharma, Swasti Garg, Swati Bisht, Vaibhav Gupta, Vamika Sharma, Saksham Srivastava, Vaibhav Rana, and health worker Farzana participated in the campaign.
