THE ROLE OF MEN IN PROMOTING BREASTFEEDING

THE ROLE OF MEN IN PROMOTING BREASTFEEDING.

Male involvement in supporting breastfeeding can never be underestimated. As we come to the end of this year’s international celebration of the World Breastfeeding Week that started on 1st to 7th August under the theme; “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility”, we need to remind ourselves as men of our responsibilities in supporting breastfeeding. A clear understanding of the importance of breastfeeding to not only the baby and mother but also to your family and community as a whole would oblige every man to do anything with their means to support breastfeeding. Breast milk has been scientifically proven as the single unrivalled meal every baby needs for the first six months of life to ensure survival, growth, health and their wellbeing in later life. It has all the nutrients the baby needs during this period. It's clean and easily digestible thus eliminating diseases like colic, constipation, diarrhea among others. Breast milk is very important in building the babies’ immunity against many childhood diseases and developing the child’s brain. If practiced religiously, breastfeeding can serve as a very good family planning for many couples. Talking about breastfeeding with couples is very amazing. It is the best, most enjoyable, hardest, most beautiful, frustrating thing many couples have ever done. Therefore, breastfeeding ought to be a family affair with men playing a very central role in motivating mothers to continue breastfeeding. In our patriarchal society, men are the breadwinners in most families and have a key position in the decisions taken for the family. During this period, every man should ensure that the wife has a well-balanced diet; one that they can afford as a family to ensure good feeding for the mother. Mothers easily get tired during this period therefore supporting with house chores and caring for the baby or finding a house helper would be a very great decision. We must be reminded that the psychosocial environment of the mother plays a very big role in her ability to breastfeed. Therefore, men should aim at creating the best ever psychosocial space for their ladies during this period. Always encourage your wife to have enough drinks and have meals on time, minimize the visitors so that she can have enough time to rest, take care of the older children, have good communication and support her in every way possible. As health workers, we have noticed there are several challenges working women go through during the lactation period with many workplaces having no structures and systems that support breastfeeding. In a country like Uganda where men are the biggest employers or heads of companies and institutions that employ women, we can take a decision to be breastfeeding champions. Take a quick thought. How long is maternity leave at your organization? Does that period facilitate exclusive breastfeeding? How do you support mothers as an organization during this period? Are those women who wish to come with their babies at work allowed? Does your organization have any designated conducive area where your female employees can comfortably breastfeed their babies?

Having expert talks on breastfeeding for your employees, providing designated private space for breastfeeding or expressing milk, allowing flexible work schedules that support breastfeeding during work, giving nursing mothers options for working from home if possible, extending maternity leave and having on site or near site childcare facilities are some of the strategies you can adopt to transform your organization into a model workplace for supporting breastfeeding. Finally, to our cabinet members and members of parliament, of which the majority are still men; may you please come up with policies that support breastfeeding especially at workplaces. In both private and public settings. If all men took on their role in supporting women and creating spaces that support breastfeeding, then our babies and women shall enjoy the best experience of breastfeeding on our land, and this will be a great step in kicking many childhood illnesses and malnutrition out of Uganda.

By Lubega Martin A BSN-Nurse based in Kampala Uganda Author of the My Pregnancy Handbook, a pregnancy guide for women.