Health experts have warned mothers to stop denying their babies breast milk over the false belief that breastfeeding makes breasts sag.
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week in Bauchi on Monday, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, said sagging breasts are a natural part of ageing—not a result of breastfeeding.
He lamented that some women refuse to breastfeed because they fear it will ruin their appearance, warning that the decision puts babies at risk of malnutrition and other deadly childhood illnesses.
“Breastfeeding is not what makes your breasts fall. They naturally sag with age whether you breastfeed or not,” he said.
Mohammed stressed that exclusive breastfeeding remains one of the best ways to protect babies from malnutrition and preventable diseases.
Also speaking, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Chief, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, described breastfeeding as a life-saving practice and urged mothers to breastfeed their babies within the first hour after birth and continue exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.
She revealed that although more than nine out of every 10 mothers in Bauchi breastfeed their children, only 12% start within the first hour after delivery, while just 26% exclusively breastfeed for the recommended first six months.
Rafique warned mothers against giving newborns water, honey or local herbal drinks, saying such practices expose babies to dangerous infections, diarrhoea and malnutrition.
She praised the Bauchi State Government for approving six months’ paid maternity leave and committing ₦500 million to the Child Nutrition Fund, saying the measures would help more mothers give their babies the best possible start in life.
The UNICEF official added that successful breastfeeding is not the mother’s responsibility alone, urging fathers, families, employers and government institutions to support nursing mothers through family-friendly policies, including workplace crèches and paid maternity leave.
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