Give them the best start in life

Breastfeeding: The international breastfeeding week started on August 1 and ends on August 7, however the whole month is dedicated to sensitising families, particularly women on the importance of breastfeeding. This year’s theme is ‘Sustaining breastfeeding together’. In commemoration of this month, we sought out some readers to share their breastfeeding experiences including the challenges they faced and how they managed to resolve them.

Tough choice I had to make
Pamela Byamugisha, businesswoman
“I did not have an opportunity to breastfeed my two daughters when they were babies because of my positive status. They are now aged 13 and 14 years, respectively. By the time they were born, I was living with HIV/Aids and was discouraged from breastfeeding them. I never at one time attempted to even put them close to my bare breasts because I was anxious of putting them at risk.
The solution therefore was to feed them on bottled milk. I had to ensure that there was always milk prepared from baby formula in the bottles and a flask of hot water for warming it. I am glad that they got used to bottle feeding easily.”

Battling sore nipples
Annah Nafula, Digital manager, Capital Fm
“Being a first time mother was crazy for me. My baby weighed about 1.5 kg and I was under too much pressure to breastfeed. That was not the worst part though. My baby was not interested in breast milk for about a week. She was only drinking water mixed with glucose and the little milk I managed to express. I was very stressed. But later, she picked up and began to breastfeed and I battled with sore nipples. They were painful! Imagine your nipples having tiny wounds and yet your breasts have too much milk. I had to grit my teeth and let the child breastfeed for about 12 months. The nurse told me that the sore nipples would heal over time if I continued breastfeeding. This is the advice I followed. My daughter will be making four years in September.”

The beginning was tough

Cleopatra Koheirwe, television and radio personality
“I am a mother of one; a girl aged three. I was determined to breastfeed my baby. I did not care about the stories of, ‘If you breastfeed, the breasts will sag or look unattractive.’ I was ready to give my baby breast milk as it is healthy and important for a baby’s development and growth. But my oh my, the day she was born, the nurse gave her to me and told me to try and feed her but she just kept her lips closed and was sleeping. I tried the second and third time and almost cried thinking she did not want me, but the nurse said some babies take a while to suckle because it is a new environment for them and that my baby would come round to it. My breasts were so full. I thought they were going to explode! But finally, she suckled but it hurt so badly. After a while, I felt some relief because the breasts were not too full anymore, so they stopped hurting as they were before. It takes about a week to get used to. The nipples get sore during the first days one breastfeeds but I had a baby friendly Avents nipple cream I would apply to soothe and prevent soreness. She would feed every two hours, so I would also wake up in the night to breastfeed her. The first two months were tough as I was tired most of the time. I was then advised to sleep whenever she slept so that I get some rest too. It is important you sleep; otherwise you become a walking zombie. Overtime, I became an expert in feeding and holding her and this created a strong bond between us.”

Why you should breast feed your baby?
The World Health Organisation (WHO), notes that exclusive breastfeeding for six months has many benefits for the infant and mother. Chief among these is protection against gastrointestinal infections which is observed not only in developing but also industrialised countries. Early initiation of breastfeeding, within one hour of birth, protects the newborn from acquiring infections and reduces newborn mortality. The risk of mortality due to diarrhoea and other infections can increase in infants who are either partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.
Breast milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients in children aged six–23 months. It can provide half or more of a child’s energy needs between the ages of six and 12 months, and one third of energy needs between 12 and 24 months. Breast-milk is also a critical source of energy and nutrients during illness, and reduces mortality among children who are malnourished.
When breast milk is no longer enough to meet the nutritional needs of the infant, complementary foods should be added to the diet of the child. The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods, referred to as complementary feeding, typically covers the period from six to 18-24 months of age, and is a very vulnerable period.

On social media
Breastfeeding week is on. What has enabled you breastfeed successfully? Please share some of the challenges you have faced and how you dealt with them.
Phoebe Muyama I first feared being a first time mother and was also shy to breastfeed in public but gained courage after sometime and it is just like one is tickling you, such a funny experience.
Winnifred Alupo When I first breastfed I feared because of the tickling but as time went on I got used to it. The challenge with breastfeeding is that the baby can sometimes bite you and you need to feed well and frequently because the food you eat is used to produce the babies milk.

Edith Nandawula Breastfeeding is the best experience ever, this is because you are able to give your love to your baby, at first it was painful due to the sore nipples, but after it got better and better for me and the little gal. The other challenge is the pain that you feel when the baby gets teeth, she will always bite you whenever you feed her. Thirdly is weight loss. I lost a lot of weight yet was eating in time as well as taking porridge. This did not bother me a lot since my gal was healthy and I’m so happy that up to now, I’m still breastfeeding her despite the challenges.

Hilda Twebaze I love it when I’m feeding my baby. At first it was a little bit painful but now I’m used to breastfeeding. I enjoy breastfeeding because it helps me reduce the breastmilk that I have due to the food I eat which includes mukene, greens mixed with “entula”, cow ghee, Plus “bushera”(millet porridge).
Luswata Rhobie Now like me who works I breastfeed my baby only at night so I have to eat a lot during day so as to get what to breastfeed my prince on in the evening but sometimes my breasts hurt when milk is too much and yet I have not yet reached home. breastfeeding is the sweetest feeling ever.

Mbabazi Moreen Breastfeeding is one of the best things I do for my children. The challenge I normally get is that my breast starts drying as soon as my child makes a year, yet I would love to breastfeed to two years.
Esther Apajo I breastfed my son exclusively for 10 months... And he did not want anything else. I also did not use bottles and I have the healthiest baby I know. Breastfeeding was also his medication for things like flue...plus he did not fall sick at the time he was breast-feeding... Now he is strong, healthy and wise. I’m doing the same with his sister now.... Lovely experience.

Auma Agnes The challenge I got was only that my breast had small tits which made it difficult to breastfeed, but since I had a lot of milk, it helped. Another I got was how to hold the breast while feeding, however I learnt and my daughter is now one year and three months old.
Nesta Arkangelo I breastfed my first born for three years though I lost a lot of weight. I had my second child after 10, he is now one month and three weeks. The pain from the nipple is worst than when I had my first and everything involving baby care, I had to learn afresh which is so tiresome but I’m happy to do that because I love my son.
Magdalen Adeke In the first three days my breasts had become big, milk could drip and yet the baby could not suck it all.

I had to tie a big clothe around my chest so that it could not drip inside the baby’s ears. They say breast milk can damage the baby’s hearing and cause seasonal pus flow.
Becky Anderson am breastfeeding my lovely son until he is three years, I now have 10 months to go. I’m loving every bit of it. I have no regrets, if there were challenges in the past I have forgotten already. My only issue is that I’m losing weight but I still don’t mind.
Angel Nazzie My worry was when the milk will come coz it delayed two to three days but my doctor advised me to worry not coz that’s how it is, era it did come n ma pumpkin started feeding well. Also a big challenge was which food brings breast milk however I took advise from different mothers (sisters,anties and friends)
Otong Alfred In The Acholi Sub-region, a vegetable called MALAKWANG is used to stimulate milk . Try It
Rodah Ayik The first five days is terrible ...the pain is too much for me to manage.
David Kenneth Kamanzi Thanks dear ladies for the courage of breastfeeding. You indeed experience a lot! Happy b/feeding week...
Hope Marion Destiny I had to give up work in pain to sit home and breastfeed my daughter she has made a year now.

Knowledge was key
Scovia Namulondo, housewife
“When I gave birth to Sharon, my first born now aged 16, I had very limited knowledge on breastfeeding. I did not know what to do. I remember the first time I held Sharon at the hospital, she was crying. I presumed she was hungry. I quickly reached out for my left breast for her to suckle, but then she rejected it. She just continued crying nonstop and I was getting frustrated on the other hand because the milk was not coming. I then decided to call up one of my aunts who rushed to hospital. First, she made me relax by saying that milk does not always come immediately after a mother has delivered. For some mothers, it takes a few days to come.

Then, she taught me everything about breastfeeding including how to strategically position the baby while breastfeeding it as well as the food to take to help with the milk production. She advised me to take a lot of porridge as well as fish mixed with groundnut paste. When the milk was not coming, I fed her on water mixed with glucose. A few days later, when the breasts started producing milk, she started suckling well for six months. When I gave birth to my five other children, the breastfeeding process became easier because of the earlier knowledge my aunt had passed on to me about breastfeeding. Unlike many women who claim to develope sore nipples during the process of feeding, I never encountered that. The only minor issue I got was when the children started teething. They had a tendency of at times biting the nipples and I would quickly pull the breast away because of the pain.
Other than that, I enjoyed breastfeeding all my six children because the process created a strong bond between me and them. My last born is now four years old.”

Tit bits
Claire Ssentamu, a midwife, advises mothers to always maintain proper hygiene during breastfeeding by:-
•Always washing hands with soap and water right before feeding the baby.
•Ensure that their breast nipples have been thoroughly cleaned with preferably warm water so as to limit the baby from getting infections.
•After feeding the baby, they should wear breast pads that help to absorb milk from the breasts. Alternatively, use small pieces of clothing made from cotton. However, do not use cotton balls as these peel off easily and may as well end up in the child’s mouth.
•Wear the right size of bras that can help keep the breasts in a firm position.
•In case of any spill, change the bra and the upper garment immediately. You do not want to start emitting an awful smell.