Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the maiden edition of our HCI Healthcare Medical Information Blog, created with the sole aim of improving your knowledge about medical and health related matters and to, ultimately, improve your quality of life. So, strap in and enjoy the fun ride!

Today we will be talking about one of the most “over-flogged” topics ever known to mankind:

“…..AND THE WINNER IS….”BREASTFEEDING!!!”

For our male readers who may see this as women’s business, do remember that you were once in that position decades ago (even if you do not remember 😉) and you have sisters and female friends. Please note also that more than half of you have, in a pleasurable fashion, led to the situation in the picture above so don’t think about running.

Come back here!

Now, I know that most of us think of breastfeeding only in terms of baby growth and, truly there are enough media articles, NGOs, antenatal classes etc to substantiate this. However, we would like to shed light on another aspect; and that is the impact of breastfeeding on both mother and spouse.

As a brief recap, the advantages of breastfeeding babies (especially when done exclusively) include

• Antibodies to boost immunity and help baby fight off infection
• Hydration (so no need to give baby water please)
• Ease of bowel movement and consequently prevention of constipation
• Brain development
• Reduces the chances of your child developing allergies later on and many others

All in all, your baby is in heaven (as you can clearly see up there 😀😇 when you exclusively breast feed so mothers, please try to put in the effort. We know it isn’t always easy. You could just express the breastmilk and preserve for later…..which brings me to my next point.

I have had mothers come into the consulting room with engorged breasts. Quite painful, really. If the baby is not suckling well enough, there’s a cheap and enjoyable solution option: MEN, GO TO WORK ON…you know what I mean! 😁 Sometimes when I give this suggestion, the husbands’ expressions are simply pricelessly hilarious. It almost seems like you just sentenced them to 3months imprisonment at Kirikiri prison. On the other hand, there are those whose expressions tell a different story. The likely end of this particular story is a sound night’s sleep for both husband and wife. 😎😄

The bonding process goes both ways. Breastfeeding creates the kind of bond between mother and child that lasts a whole lifetime. The same goes for husband and wife. Now, swallowing the milk is okay if you so wish or otherwise but the point here is that the entire process brings about an enviable intimacy between you two. Oh, by the way, there doesn’t need to be breast engorgement before you take the initiative and launch into action

Believe me when I say that doing these simple things alone is enough to halve the frequency of your hospital visits. Happier babies, happier mothers, happier fathers and as a whole, a happier society. We must never forget that a refreshed mind goes a long way in improving productivity at work, problem solving skills, interrelationships at home and work, cognitive functions and so many others.

That’s all for today but don’t bother your pretty (or handsome) head. We will return in a couple of days to continue our life and healthcare conversation. Till then, stay blessed and have fun!

If you have any comments or contributions on today’s topic, be quick to send me a mail at feedback@healthcare-ng.com I will be glad to read from you and answer all your questions.

Author: Dr. Lola Odubitan, MBBS