Dr Rajinder Gulati, president of IAP (Indian Academy of Pediatricians), Punjab, gave advice to the mothers on breastfeeding who work away from home. He said nothing can substitute breast milk and mothers should strive to achieve the golden standard of infant feeding which include exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continue breastfeeding, together with appropriate complimentary feeding, for two years or more.
Dr Gulati, who is also a lactation consultant and national trainer for infant and young child feeding, added working mothers should take the baby to their workplace if possible, or leave the child in a creche is near the workplace.
Working mothers can also express the breast milk before leaving for work so that it can be given to the baby in the absence of the mother.
The expressed breast milk (EBM) stays in good condition longer than the cow’s milk, he added. Anil Verma, manager of Punjab Switchgears, appreciated the efforts of IAP in promoting breastfeeding.