Breastfeeding gaining acceptance
PETALING JAYA: The percentage of mothers who exclusively breastfeed for six months has increased from 14.5% to 60% in the last 10 years, says Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Although this was a sharp increase, Yeoh said efforts must continue to promote the practice among mothers who did not exclusively breastfeed their babies.
“If they do not get enough support, especially at home, they will stop breastfeeding,” she said.
Pointing out the importance of the father’s support, she urged the private sector to provide three to seven days of paternity leave.
“I hope employers understand that this is a support structure that families need today. Mothers alone cannot do it (care for the baby),”
she said after launching the
Breastfeeding Advocates Net-
work’s (TBAN) annual Gift of Love 2019, in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week, here yesterday.
TBAN is collaborating with the Women’s Aid Organisation in petitioning for paternity leave in the private sector.
Men in the public sector are entitled to seven days of paternity leave but there is no legal provision for fathers working in the private sector.
Yeoh also emphasised the need for employers to provide a room along with a fridge for mothers to express and store their milk.
She said 18 agencies in Melaka now had breastfeeding rooms after the move was encouraged by the state government.
“Breastfeeding boosts a child’s immune system and could help reduce healthcare cost,” she said.
Yeoh added that offering flexible working arrangements and flexi hours would also help parents.
On whether there was adequate sex education in schools to prevent unwanted pregnancies, Yeoh said that age-suitable sex education was given at different stages of schooling but it was important for parents to pay attention to their children.
She pointed out that children now had access to information online and were becoming sexually active at a younger age.
“It’s better that they receive safe sex education at home,” she said.
On Saturday, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that from 2010 to May this year, there were 1,010 cases of baby dumping and out of the cases, 64% died.
Yeoh said that the ministry wanted babies to be adopted and not
die.
From January to May, 65 babies were dumped; this did not have to happen, she said.
“The most tragic thing is, while we have 110 babies dumped every year, we also have 1,305 parents on the waiting list who want to adopt babies.
“If only these girls know, there are families who accept the babies. The babies don’t have to die,” she said, adding that information on where they could get help should be made known to them.
By: Loh Foon Fong
