Breastfeeding doesn’t cause breast to sag – says experts

Nutrition experts at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and Nutrition International, an NGO, say that  breastfeeding does not affect the firmness of a mother’s breast.

The experts made this known during an orientation for the media on optimal breastfeeding in commemoration of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) on Monday in Abuja.

Dr Temidayo Odebunmi, Head, Infant and Young Child Feeding, Nutrition Division, FMoH, while highlighting the benefits of optimal breastfeeding, dispelled the misconception that breastfeeding made the breast  to distort and sag.

“Breastfeeding does not make a child to eat less; neither does it make the breast to sag.

“You must feed the babies with patience, little by little and with variety of nutritional foods to make the breast milk flow adequately for the child to thrive on.’’

According to her, breastfeeding does not cause sagging, rather certain factors such as little or no exercise, unbalanced diet; lack of good supports like wearing of bra and others contribute to the non-firmness of breast.

“The breasts sag as a woman grows older as the firmness of a breast is affected by the age and other factors, not necessarily breastfeeding.’’

Similarly, Mr Babajide Adebisi, Deputy Director, Nutrition International, highlighted the need to adhere to optimal breastfeeding practices to ensure a child gets adequate nutrients from breast milk.

Adebisi, while also adding that breastfeeding did not make a breast sag, encouraged mothers to consume healthy food, maintain healthy lifestyle and ensure that the babies were exclusively fed with breast milk from zero to six months.

He also urged employers to create a conducive and flexible workspace for parents to breastfeed their babies properly.

Mrs Grace Mogekwu, Chief Scientific Officer, Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC), FMoH, stressed the need for optimal breastfeeding practices one hour after delivery, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, continual breastfeeding and complementary feeding for at least two years.

“We are not encouraging the use of infant formula, except on rare occasions, where necessary due to some factors.

“And when it is introduced, it must be practiced under strict hygienic environment in a safe storage facilities, ’she said.

Mogekwu said the advantages of breastfeeding include perfect nutrients, easily digested efficiency used, protects against infection, cost less, helps delay a new pregnancy and protect mother’s health.

She also discouraged the use of feeding bottle, artificial teats or pacifier to infants and young babies, describing them as factors contributing to ill health.

On his part, Mr Sunday Baba, Director, Public Communication and National Orientation, Federal Ministry of Information, said the training was to support the Food and Nutrition Media Team with skills to promote nutrition in the country.

“It goes without saying that a healthy population is a profitable one and without food and good nutrition, a healthy population is unattainable,’’ he said.

Baba, therefore, encouraged the media team to use their various platforms towards encouraging breastfeeding, which would address the issue of malnutrition and other health challenges affecting women and children.