Chapters in Books (Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS))

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Browsing Chapters in Books (Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS)) by Subject "Breastfeeding"

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    The challenges of breastfeeeding in poor urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa
    (African Sun Media, 2020) Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth Wambui; Wekesah, Frederick Murunga; Wanjohi, Milka; Nyamasege, Carolyn Kemunto; Mutoni, Sandrine; Macharia, Teresia
    Optimal breastfeeding has the potential to prevent more than 800 000 deaths in children younger than five years; 500 000 neonatal deaths; and 20 000 deaths in women every year. Despite these benefits, evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa shows that breastfeeding practices remain sub-optimal with only 25 per cent of children exclusively breastfed for the first six months, while six per cent of infants in these countries are never breastfed. For example, although the proportion of children who were exclusively breastfed in Kenya improved from 32 per cent in 2008 to 61 per cent in 2014, pockets of suboptimal breastfeeding practices are documented in urban slums. Exclusive breastfeeding in some of the urban slums in Kenya is as low as two per cent, with the age of introducing complementary foods being onemonth post-delivery, while about a third of children are not breastfed within one hour of delivery as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Urban slums are faced by unique social and structural factors that hinder optimal breastfeeding including poverty and non-conducive livelihood opportunities, poor living conditions, food insecurity, poor professional and social support to breastfeeding mothers and knowledge deficit coupled with negative cultural beliefs and misconceptions about breastfeeding. This situation calls for macrolevel policies and interventions that consider the ecological setting. Promising interventions may include global initiatives such as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, the Baby-Friendly Community Initiative, Human Milk Banking and the Baby-Friendly Workplace Initiative. However, innovations in their implementation need to take consideration for the contextual complexities. This chapter explores breastfeeding practices, associated challenges and interventions that could promote breastfeeding in urban slums.
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    The fundamental importance of breastfeeding for health and development
    (African Sun Media, 2020) Martin, Robert D.
    How an infant is nourished in early life is central to the DOHaD hypothesis regarding the later onset of chronic non-communicable diseases, especially where feeding practices result in either stunting of growth or excessive weight gain. This chapter reviews the evolutionary history of the origins of breastfeeding and summarises studies evaluating its benefits. Mammals take their name from the Latin word mamma for the teat. This root also gave rise to the term mammary gland, which, along with the associated behaviour of suckling offspring, is a universal feature of all mammals alive today. Human cultural practices over the past 5 000 years or so, notably including the exploitation of milk from other mammals and eventual development of milk formulae, have exerted a major impact on breastfeeding. The greatest effects have occurred in industrialised nations, where many mothers breastfeed for only a few months, if at all, and breastfeeding beyond a year is rare. Because of pervasive cultural influences, it is difficult to establish a ‘natural’ period for human breastfeeding that would include an initial period of exclusive breastfeeding, followed by a phase of supplementary feeding. Information from modern hunting-and-gathering populations and other non-industrialised societies indicate an average total duration of at least two-and-ahalf years, with a wide range of variation extending up to around five years. Whenever tested, the benefits of breastfeeding for infants have been found to show a dose-response relationship, with the greatest benefits shown with breastfeeding for two to three years. Breastfeeding is also beneficial for mothers. There have been recent claims that over-enthusiastic promotion of breastfeeding, given the label ‘activism’ is both unkind and unwarranted. While it is true that women who, for whatever reason, are unable to breastfeed, need support and not bullying, it is both unjustifiable and irresponsible to dismiss the very substantial scientific evidence that now exists for the undoubted benefits of breastfeeding.