The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a strong caution to breastfeeding mothers, advising them against giving their babies water or any liquid other than breast milk within the first six months of life.
This important message was highlighted during the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week Flag-off and World Breastfeeding Record Initiative, which witnessed a remarkable event where 30,000 breastfeeding women from Nigeria’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and selected Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps breastfed their babies simultaneously, shattering the previous world record set by the Philippines in 2013.
UNICEF’s Public Health Nutrition Officer and Breastfeeding Record Facilitator, Izuchukwu Michael Offiaeli, praised the mothers who participated in the event, noting that the target was to engage 30,000 women, but an impressive 31,254 mothers and their babies participated, setting a new global record.
Offiaeli underscored that breast milk contains over 88 percent water, providing all the hydration a baby needs. He warned that giving water to infants within the first six months significantly hinders efforts to improve exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates in Nigeria. He encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months to ensure their optimal health.
In her goodwill message, UNICEF Country Representative Cristian Munduate commended the Nigerian government for creating an enabling environment for breastfeeding mothers. Munduate called for collective efforts from all stakeholders to address breastfeeding inequalities and support mothers in practicing exclusive breastfeeding. She highlighted the need to empower mothers with the necessary knowledge and support to make informed decisions for their children’s health.
Munduate also pointed out that despite breastfeeding being essential for lifelong health, Nigeria’s rates of early, exclusive, and continued breastfeeding remain low due to cultural, social, and practical barriers. She urged government bodies, civil society organisations, health systems, workplaces, and communities to work together to bridge the gap in breastfeeding support.
“We are not just here to break a world record; we are here to make history and send a powerful message to the world about the importance of breastfeeding,” Munduate said. She also emphasised the need to integrate breastfeeding support into Nigeria’s emergency response plans to protect vulnerable infants, warning that unregulated breast milk substitutes and lack of clean water pose significant risks to infant health.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, highlighted the event’s global theme, “Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All,” which stresses the shared responsibility in ensuring that breastfeeding mothers receive the necessary support. Pate referred to the Global Breastfeeding Scorecard, noting that while global exclusive breastfeeding rates have risen to 48 percent, only 34 percent of Nigerian children aged 0 to 6 months are exclusively breastfed, which falls short of the global average and the World Health Assembly target of 50 percent by 2025.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, also spoke at the event, emphasising that while breastfeeding is a natural process, women need sufficient support to start and maintain optimal breastfeeding. Kachollom stressed that investing in breastfeeding is one of the smartest choices a nation can make, as it benefits children, mothers, families, and the country’s economy by reducing healthcare costs and fostering a healthier workforce.
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