Wednesday August 8, 2007

Breastfeeding wave hits Putrajaya

By SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: Twenty-three mothers breastfed their babies for a full minute at the Putrajaya Hospital today, in an attempt to create a new record in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The mothers were part of the "Global Breastfeeding Wave" - a worldwide campaign to get mothers to breastfeed their child for the first month.

To take part, the mothers had to breastfeed for a full minute at 10am.

The hospital is one of the six institutions participating for the Federal Territory. The event was witnessed and endorsed by Lance Corporal Wan Salmah Wan Dolah.

Dr Hamidal Abd Jalil, chairman of the hospital's lactation committee, said the hospital would monitor the progress of the mothers in breastfeeding their babies for this entire month, particularly after they had been discharged and allowed to go home.

"Some mothers forget about the right techniques to breastfeed their babies once they reach home. One needs the right technique to hold the baby or the child will not feed. Even when the child does not take the milk, lactation still continues and this can cause the breast to engorge and swell in pain.

"If this persists, it can lead to a breast abscess, which may require surgery," she said, adding that the hospital had set up support groups to help mothers who faced problems trying to breastfeed at home.

Dr Hamidal also said there was greater awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding now among mothers who came to deliver at the hospital as a large number of them breastfeed their babies, for at least the first month.

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