The Medical Superintendent of Kwesmintsim Hospital in the Western Region, Simon Osei Frimpong, has urged breastfeeding mothers not to substitute their breast milk with cow milk.
Speaking during the distribution of cocoa products by the Cocoa Processing Company at the hospital, which coincided with the conclusion of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, Frimpong emphasised the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.
He said: “We are preaching that every woman should give breast milk for the first six months of the baby’s life so that they are protected. The benefits are so huge. I wouldn’t want to speak much but I just want to compare the products that they give to the babies when they don’t have the breastmilk itself.
“I do this analogy to the mothers; would you want to give from the cow to your baby or you would want to give the breastmilk of a human to the baby? Quickly, they say we will give that of humans to the baby. Then I tell them that what they see in that container is from the cow that is processed. In addition to whatever you see, there is the antibody another thing the mother passes to the baby that is so huge that you can’t lose that benefit, it is important.”
The Western Regional Representative for the Cocoa Processing Company, Augustine Webumte Apom, who led the distribution of the Golden-tree royal cocoa drink products for breastfeeding mothers, stated the motivation for supporting this year’s World Breastfeeding Week with the cocoa drinks explaining how helpful it would be to the breastfeeding mothers.
“The motivation for us is the Breastfeeding Day and our All Time which is instantly, you can drink it anytime and anyhow, produces breastmilk for the child.
“Because they are celebrating breastfeeding day and we want our children to be well fed and nurtured with breastmilk that is why we came to the hospital to celebrate the day with them,” he stated.
