Diocese of Raipur Holds Awareness Programs to Mark World Breastfeeding Week

Believers Eastern Church Diocese of Raipur held awareness programs at different villages, in observance of World Breastfeeding Week, which is celebrated from 1 August to 7 August.

The awareness programs were organized by Women’s Fellowship groups and Sisters of Compassion teams who taught young women, mainly the expectant mothers and breast-feeding women about the importance of breastfeeding for both the mother and baby’s health.

Altogether, 25 women participated in the health awareness program held in a leprosy colony in Raipur district. During the program, the Diocesan Women’s Fellowship leader taught the participants about the huge benefits that breastfeeding can bring to the health and welfare of babies, as well as to mothers. She explained how breast milk acts as the babies’ first vaccine, protecting them against many common childhood illnesses.

The program was an eye opener for the participants as people of this colony generally believed that the colostrum, the first milk produced by a new mother, should not be given to newborns.

Besides the awareness classes, an awareness video on the importance of breastfeeding also was circulated among women.

One of the attendees of the program by name Santha said, “Today, I learned an important lesson that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Really, this program has brought a great awareness to all the mothers.”