The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged employers, healthcare workers, families and communities to create an enabling environment for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies, saying stronger support is key to improving child survival and development in Southwest Nigeria.
Speaking to commemorate this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, the Chief of UNICEF’s Field Office in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere, said that while breastfeeding remains common among Nigerian mothers, adherence to recommended practices is still low.
According to her, only one in three babies in Nigeria is breastfed within the first hour of birth, while only three in 10 infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, despite the well-documented health benefits of breast milk.
Describing breast milk as “the first vaccine every baby receives,” Lafoucriere said it protects children from illness, promotes healthy brain development and provides the best possible start in
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