THIS refers to the article ‘What to do when they cry?’ (March 6), which lamented the rising price of powdered baby milk. Actually, we must do our best to promote mother’s milk. It is species-specific, ideal for the growth of the babies and their brain development. It protects them from diarrhoea, pneumonia and much else as well. Besides, breastmilk also protects the mothers from breast cancer and, to some extent, in birth spacing.

The said write-up argued that babies on formula milk are facing malnourishment due to the rising prices and over-dilution. That, professionally speaking, is just one aspect.

Even well-to-do, educated mothers are not careful about the sterilisation of the bottle, leading to frequent episodes of diarrhoea and malnutrition among the infants.

The argument about impoverished mothers being too weak to breastfeed is also flawed, because that is not usually the case.

A pregnant woman needs 300 calories more than the usual, and a lactating mother needs just 200 calories more than a pregnant woman does.

These 200 calories can also be supplied by a large roti of 125gm of flour. A fancy, expensive diet is not needed.

Doctors and family members must be supportive and guide mothers around them to breastfeed.

Family spacing is also a critical element that depends on women education and empowerment. The clergy should be taken on board on the matter so that they may support awareness campaigns in this regard.

Some women work as domestic labour for well-to-do families. They leave their babies with other family members and work from morning till evening. Their babies are bottle-fed and become ill and malnourished. If they have to work, they must be allowed to bring their babies with them.

The problem of drug addiction in such communities is also common. Many women say they have to work as their husbands happen to be addicts who do nothing to finance the household.

Society surely needs more rehabi-litation centres for addicts, and those selling addictive substances, be they individuals or outlets, must be taken to task rather sternly. After all, it is a matter of the country’s future generations.

Prof (Dr) Yasmeen Kazi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2023