Experts are raising alarms over a worrying trend in Kampala, where many mothers are abandoning exclusive breastfeeding in favor of alternative feeds as their babies grow. This shift, they warn, poses serious risks to infant health and development.
Samalie Namukose, the Assistant Commissioner for Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, addressed the issue during a two-day media training on breastfeeding in Kampala by the Obulamu and USAID agencies. She stressed that promoting exclusive breastfeeding could prevent up to 11.6 percent of infant deaths.
Martin Kasendwa from Family Health International also highlighted the importance of supporting mother and baby nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. He explained that exclusive breastfeeding during this critical period is essential to preventing malnutrition, which can cause irreversible damage to brain development. Kasendwa warned that inadequate nutrition in these early days could lead to poor neurological development and negatively impact academic performance later in life.
To combat this trend, the Ministry of Health is actively promoting antenatal care visits, urging mothers to attend at least eight sessions where they can receive vital information about breastfeeding.
The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey report reveals that while 99.8 percent of mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants during the first month, this rate drops to 80.7 percent by four to five months. The rate continues to decline as the baby approaches 23 months, with appropriate breastfeeding practices observed in only 60.3 percent of cases.
Martha Nakyagaba Mutumba, a nutrition focal person from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), attributes the decline, particularly in Kampala, to the growing number of women in the workforce. With only three months of maternity leave, many women find it challenging to maintain exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months.
Nakyagaba also pointed to the lack of ideal breastfeeding spaces in markets and limited support from husbands as additional obstacles faced by working mothers. However, she noted that the initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth has improved in Kampala, rising from 53.6 percent in 2006 to 81.7 percent currently. This improvement is partly due to the introduction of the baby-friendly facility initiative, which provides immediate breastfeeding information and support to new mothers.
Rita Nakiganda, a new mother at Kawempe National Referral Hospital, shared how health workers at the hospital taught her proper breastfeeding practices. Sylvia Kalegere, who oversees the labor ward at Kawempe, emphasized that breastfeeding immediately after birth not only benefits the baby but also helps the mother by aiding uterine contraction to prevent excessive bleeding. She reassured mothers that frequent breastfeeding increases milk production.
As Uganda commemorates Breastfeeding Month, health professionals continue to advocate for better breastfeeding practices to ensure the health and well-being of both mothers and their babies.