Breastfeeding awareness low in Nepal

KATHMANDU, July 31: In Nepal 98 per cent of the mother breastfeed their babies, but only one-third of the babies are breast-fed within one hour of their birth, only two-thirds are breast-fed with in 24 hours.

Doctors say that every baby should be breast-fed within one hour of birth. “Almost half of the babies are given pre-lacteal feeds, which should not have been given at all,” said doctors speaking at a programme on breastfeeding week on Monday said.

They said that only about half of the babies is given exclusive breast-feeding for six-month, in spite of the government policy of encouraging mothers for exclusive breast-feeding for six months. Only two-third of the babies is given other foods along with the mother’s milk after six months.


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