As the world marks the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week, some mothers in Gombe State have recounted the pressure they faced from relatives and community members in their efforts to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months, as recommended by health authorities to boost child survival.
The mothers, who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise during visits to some primary healthcare centres and private facilities in Gombe metropolis, said misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding remained common, with some relatives and community members insisting that they introduce water and infant formula to their newborns before six months.
Health workers at the PHCs encourage mothers to begin breastfeeding within the first hour after birth and practise exclusive breastfeeding, urging them to resist pressure to introduce water or other liquids during the exclusive breastfeeding period.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months gives babies all the nutrients they need while protecting them against diarrhoea, pneumonia and malnutrition, some of the leading causes of death among children under five in Nigeria, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.
“Continued breastfeeding alongside safe, nutritious complementary foods up to two years of age provides children with the best opportunity to survive, grow and thrive,” UNICEF added.
