THE ESSENCE OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING

 Nigerian mothers should be supported to breastfeed their children

The 2026 edition of the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) celebration kicked off last Saturday with the theme, ‘Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works’. It is coming at a period when the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised serious concerns over the low rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria. “Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting breastfeeding, many families continue to face barriers arising from misinformation, harmful social norms, inadequate workplace support and inconsistent public messaging,” said the Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Dr. Hilary Ozoh. “Addressing these challenges requires collective action, and the media has a unique and indispensable role to play.”

The essence of the annual campaign is to promote Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) for babies in their first six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years of age or beyond. With its EBF rate estimated at 29 per cent, Nigeria falls below the recommended minimum of 60 per cent by both UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO). Even when breast milk has been identified as being central to child survival and development, ignorance and misconceptions about EBF have been identified as factors that significantly hinder many mothers from breastfeeding practices in Nigeria.

There are, of course, other factors. Although Nigeria Labour Law Act stipulates that pregnant female employees are entitled to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, this is not what obtains in many workplaces across the country. It is also not what happens in many rural communities where mothers face cultural, social, and practical barriers that prevent them from breastfeeding their children exclusively for the first six months of their lives. Yet, by providing essential nutrients at their formative stage in life, breastfeeding is widely recognised as one of the most effective ways to ensure the health and survival of infants.

Indeed, science has established that breast milk strengthens the immune system and fosters a unique bond between mother and child. Children that are breastfed have fewer infections and fewer chronic diseases. But despite these proven benefits, many mothers, according to the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), face significant challenges in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding, often due to a lack of support, misinformation, and social or economic barriers. To address these challenges, NSN has led a campaign for a six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers and establishment of workplace breastfeeding policies in all the 36 states.

Statistics also reveal that less than ten per cent of organisations in Nigeria have a workplace breastfeeding policy. “This means deliberately implementing breastfeeding-friendly policies, like extended paid maternity leave, flexible work hours, and provision of lactating rooms and creches,” according to the NSN that has been advocating that workplaces must create an enabling environment for women to thrive professionally. “By fostering such supportive measures, workplaces can embrace inclusivity and empower women to succeed in their careers, while ensuring the well-being and nourishment of the next generation.”

Meanwhile, some of the gaps identified in Nigeria include insufficient maternity leave policies, lack of workplace support, and inadequate access to breastfeeding education and services, particularly in rural areas. For instance, only seven states offer the recommended 24 weeks of paid maternity leave, and many women return to work without the necessary support to continue breastfeeding. This is an issue that should interest the lawmakers in the states.

In the early life of a child, according to health experts, the antibodies they receive from breastmilk serve as protection against illness and death. But breastfeeding is also important for mothers as it prevents the risk of certain types of cancers and noncommunicable diseases. To create sustainable support systems for breastfeeding by Nigerian mothers, all critical stakeholders, including policymakers, employers and healthcare providers, should work to close these gaps.