Nursing and expectant mothers have been enjoined to breast feed their babies exclusively for the first six months to protect them from childhood diseases, such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and ear infections.
This, according to the Project Coordinator for Colostrum International, a non governmental organisation, Dr Bunmi Ogundimu, will ensure the babies have sharp brains and healthy bodies.
Mrs Ogundimu, who spoke on a breast feeding project for the World Breast Feeding Week with the theme: Close to mother, said breast feeding decreased from 48 per cent in 2006 to 17 per cent last year.
"The contributory factors are ignorance, schedule of working class mothers and some nursing mothers' resolve to keep their breast in shape," she added.
"The drop in breast feeding may be having adverse effects on the infant mortality ratio of 108 per 100,000 births. Practical parenting starts with taking vital decisions on behalf of the baby to ensure it gets the required nutrients for growth. Babies should be breast fed until they are two years old," she added.
She said breast feeding was one of the practical ways of parenting as social evolution through child care begins with it.
Dr. Ogundimu said breast milk was produced to meet specific nutrients need of the baby at any particular time.
She said nursing mothers should get more than four months of maternity leave, stressing that many women have lost their jobs because they chose to have babies.
"The moment some employers hear a woman wants to have a baby. They simply lay her off," she added.
She said: "Women should not deny their babies colostrum, which is the first breast milk women produce after childbirth. Colostrum helps babies fight diseases and clears their bowel. No one drop of it should be allowed to waste. Colostrum quantity is between five and 10 millilitres and it is yellowish. It is called 'witch milk' in Yoruba because it's a powerful substance, which is why they throw it away out of ignorance," she said.
Mrs Ogundimu said the Child Rearing Bill (CRB) which was proposed to the Lagos State House of Assembly is to support breast feeding mothers.
She said her organisation ws in need of sponsors to continue with baby programmes to enlighten the public on the benefits of breast feeding.
There will be award presentation on August 6 for people who have shown they received quality care during childhood, Mrs Ogundimu said.
