She said this at the launch of the 2023 breastfeeding week at the Asaba Specialist Hospital on Friday.
The governor’s wife said that the gesture was aimed at encouraging exclusive breastfeeding among workers in the state.
“This will help nursing mothers who have to go to work and still create time to take care of their babies in terms of exclusive breastfeeding.
“With the understanding that our mothers need to work and still fend for their babies, I promise to make an avenue in the Government House where female staff members can at least go to breastfeed their babies for an hour and still continue work.
“I commend the management of the Asaba Specialist Hospital who have already implemented this and I hope that other offices borrow a cue from this,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that breastfeeding week was being celebrated from August 1 to 7 every year to create increased awareness of breastfeeding.
Mrs. Oborevwori said available statistics revealed that there were a lesser number of women who engaged in exclusive breastfeeding and attributed it to their working conditions.
The governor’s wife also advised nursing mothers to take seriously the task of feeding their babies on breast milk exclusively for the first six months, and continuing till two years.
She said that this would help to provide ideal nutrients for the babies, adding that breast milk contains all that the babies needed for healthy growth and development.
In her remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Peace Ighosevwe, said in spite of the numerous health benefits of breast milk, only 29 per cent of mothers engaged in exclusive breastfeeding.
“This can be attributed to the high cost of living, as most mothers have to engage themselves in work to support their families, while a number of persons are also ignorant.
“The hospital had to establish a creche at a subsidised rate to encourage our staff to continue breastfeeding their children,” she said.
