CEBU CITY, Sept. 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Health in Region 7 (DOH-7) continues to push for breastfeeding especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are celebrating this to protect, promote and support tanan nga ga-breastfeed and practices of breastfeeding kay mao gyud ni ang atong natural and preferred method of feeding our infants,” said Ronadit Capala-Arriesgado, DOH-7 Nurse Program Coordinator, during a virtual presser held in August to mark the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month last month.
Arriesgado assured that recent studies have shown there is no evidence showing the COVID-19 infections can be transmitted through breastfeeding.
“COVID-19 is really affecting breastfeeding in two ways. In a positive way, the mother and the child can spend longer time with each other. In a negative way, naa sense of fear atong mga mothers especially those that need to go out. Mahadlok sila na basin sila ang carrier,” she said.
She encourages mothers to continue breastfeeding their children while practicing health protocols such as frequent handwashing.
The benefits of breastfeeding include reduced risk of death among infants and newborns.
It also has lifelong advantages like improved brain development and increased IQ level as well as reducing the risk of ovarian cancer for mothers.
Meanwhile, around 500 mothers in Bohol and Cebu participated in the Global Big Latch On held virtually on Aug. 2, 2020 via Zoom.
The participating mothers breastfed their babies simultaneously for one minute. (poc/PIA7)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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