Fathers encouraged to promote breastfeeding
The Western
Regional Health Authority (WRHA) is encouraging more fathers to help promote
breastfeeding in the country.
Medical Officer of Health for St James, Dr Marcia Johnson-Campbell, said that while more men are being supportive of mothers, there is still more to be done.
“We want to engage our men, even more, to recognise that breastfeeding is really very important in helping our children [and] very cost-effective,” Johnson-Campbell said.
She noted
that the WRHA’s breastfeeding education and sensitisation initiatives are
steadily introducing methods that show how fathers can actively participate in
the effort.
Johnson-Campbell
indicated that one method is by teaching fathers how to feed their children
from containers with breastmilk.
“In cases
where the baby is breastfeeding, there are other chores in the home that the
father can support the mother by doing, so she is not tired and burnt out, and
she has the time and space,” she said.
