Breaking down traditional barriers to save children's lives
When Sarita Burman delivered her child in the local hospital and also fed the child colostrums and exclusively breast fed the child, she was one of the few who followed this practice that ensures children survive.Her mother in law also ensures that she gave the child only breast milk and is fed with good nutritional food like daliya and milk and not the usual tea and water.
The Burman community in Gudgawa, one of the target villages of the Jabalpur ADP had for ages followed the practices of isolating pregnant and new mothers for various cultural reasons, feeding them with tea and water alone for a period of time.The reason for this ranged from the understanding that starving the mother would ensure that the child was small enough so as to ensure safe delivery.
The community also has the practice of not feeding the child with the ‘colostrum’ for cultural reasons but a mixture of honey, water and herbs.Improper pre natal care and ignorant feeding practices such as these have contributed to the high infant mortality and malnutrition in the area.
According to a recent Lancet study the single most effective factor for the reduction of child mortality is the practice of exclusive breast feeding.The 2004 Copenhagen Consensus also ranked breast feeding as the second most effective intervention that ensured the children lived to see their first birthday.
The ADP focused on providing awareness with the goal of changing behaviour and attitudes of women and their families around pregnancy and childbirth.The emphasis was on institutional delivery, good pre and post natal nutrition for mothers and exclusive breastfeeding of children.
When Sahil was born, his low birth weight (less than 2 kgs) was cause of big concern for his parents.When World Vision counsellors advised to start exclusively breast feeding Sahil and to give the child ‘colostrum’, the mother was very reluctant as the first milk was supposed to be offered to the gods.After much convincing the mother fed Sahil colostrums and also continued to exclusively breast feed him, closely monitored by the project.
Now, at three months Sahil is a strong baby and is growing well. 'I am thankful to World Vision for sharing the right knowledge,' says Sahil’s mother as she tenderly holds the baby.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, caste, race, ethnicity or gender.
