Breast-feeding on the rise

The percentage of mothers breast feeding their infants in the first few hours of birth has gone up from 7.2 per cent to 19 per cent in Uttar Pradesh. While the previous data was compiled during the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) III,the new figure is a result of a research conducted by the Population Council — an international organisation working in over 40 countries.

In the wake of the “Breast Feeding Week” that began on Sunday,the Department of Family Welfare and the state wing of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) have come up with this data. “As per the NFHS III conducted in 2006-07,mothers feeding their babies in the first few hours after birth was as low as 7.2 per cent in the state. Then,according to the District Level Household and Facility Survey (2007-08),the figure increased to 15.4 per cent,” said NRHM General Manager Hari Om Dixit.

Now,after surveying 4,754 households across the state in October 2009,the Population Council has come up with the recent data.

“Breast feeding in the first few hours,especially the first milk of the mother — called colostrum — is crucial for the child. It can help in reducing 22 per cent of total infant mortality,” said Dr P K Bhagwat,Additional Director of the Department of Family Welfare.

As of now,the state has the highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the country. While IMR is 53 in the country,in Uttar Pradesh,it is 67.