From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI: Meghalaya, which has high infant mortality rate and malnutrition among children, is also placed at the bottom when it comes to breastfeeding, according to official sources.
An analysis of the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Meghalaya, on the occasion of Breastfeeding Day that ended on Tuesday, showed that it is almost 20 per cent less than the national average of 54.9 per cent, a report by the National Health and Family Survey showed.
A district-wise trend showed the lowest was 10.4 per cent in South Garo Hills and 45 per cent in the East Garo Hills.
The reasons for low breastfeeding were found to be many, including early day challenges.
The challenges included sore and cracked nipples, latching problem, engorged breasts (34.7 per cent), exhaustion from waking up in the middle of the night, too many feeding sessions and long feeding sessions (31.8 per cent), baby biting (26.61 per cent), milk supply issues (22.7 per cent), breastfeeding in public (17.81 per cent) and postpartum depression (17.42 per cent).
Tamil Nadu was placed lowest but just above the northeastern states of Nagaland and Meghalaya, besides Uttar Pradesh in regard to breastfeeding of babies between 0-6 months, according to the survey.
The report stated that Tamil Nadu had a breastfeeding rate of only 48.3 per cent when compared to states like Chhattisgarh (77.2 per cent), Manipur (73.6 per cent) and Dadar and Nagar Havelli (72.7 per cent).
A new report released by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation ranked Sri Lanka at the top of the list of countries with early initiation of breastfeeding while India ranked 56th among the 76 countries which were analysed. Countries like Kazakhsthan, Rwanda, Uruguay and even neighbouring Bhutan fared better than India, making it to the Top 10.
The report, released ahead of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1 to 7), said only two in five newborns were breastfed within the first hour of life across the world. This was despite the fact that breastfeeding should be the first vaccination for a newborn.