Breast is best for baby

The health team from Lotus River CDC with moms and caregivers.

Moms and others learnt that breast is best for the health of their baby.

The Lotus River Community Day Centre (CDC) hosted a breastfeeding information and awareness raising programme on Thursday August 8 to coincide with Women’s Month.

Dietitian Aiesha Mohammed initiated the programme after identifying a need to empower mothers, expectant mothers, and caregivers with information and guidelines needed in order to make informed choices around breastfeeding.

Rachel Davids, a health promoter from Lotus River CDC, shared that breastfeeding is the easiest, healthiest and most economical way to feed your newborn baby.

“Our information shows that breastfed babies have fewer sick days than formula-fed babies. There is also a huge information gap among our teen moms. By getting the older carers, mostly our grannies, involved, we gain the support that we need to create more awareness around the topic of ‘breast is best’,” she said.

Those who attended had some fun and played games and social worker Rene Daniels gave an informative talk on the right to breastfeed in the workplace and social grants for single unemployed mothers.

Mothers who are able to breastfeed are encouraged to breastfeed exclusively for the first thousand days of their child’s life.