A public health nurse at Holy Family Hospital, Techiman has advised nursing mothers against fasting while breastfeeding.
Engaging the media amid the Ramadan Islamic celebration, Zulfawu Ahmed revealed that lactating mothers who abstain from food deprive their children and themselves of nutrients needed for growth and good health.
She noted that there is a possibility of dehydration in children as water comprises the majority of human breast milk, low Intelligence Quotient (IQ), as well as loss of micronutrients such as zinc, potassium among others.
“There is the likelihood that it will reduce calorie and water intake. It can cause dehydration. We know that milk – more than 50 percent is made up of water. So if a woman is dehydrated, it means that the milk supply will be affected. The baby won’t get enough breastmilk.”
“If the child gets low micronutrients, it will obviously affect brain growth. The child could grow with a low IQ,” she added.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure are less common among women who breastfeed. This implies that lactating mothers who abstain from breastfeeding risk suffering from these illnesses.
Human milk consists of 87% water, 1% protein, 4% lipid, and 7% carbohydrate (including 1 to 2.4% oligosaccharides). It also contains minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.
Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates.
Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar mandates eligible Muslims to fast between 29 to 30 days.
Children who have not reached puberty, the elderly, those who are physically or mentally incapable of fasting, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and travellers are exempted from participating in the fast.
Source: The Independent Ghana