Botha-Bothe, Aug. 6 — The Botha-Bothe district is celebrating International Breastfeeding Week by recognizing and applauding clinics that have met the 100 percent challenge initiative aimed at ensuring that nursing mothers begin breastfeeding their newborns within the first hour after birth.
District Health Nutritionist, Ms. Eunice Mazibuko, emphasized the significance of this early breastfeeding.
“The milk that a baby receives within the first hour after birth is crucial as it helps protect the newborn from infections and reduces the risk of newborn mortality,” she explained.
Ms. Mazibuko added that if all clinics and hospitals ensure that babies receive this first milk, the community can significantly reduce infant mortality rates. She said the goal is to make sure that all newborns in the district receive this important nourishment as soon as they arrive.
