Barangay Taclobo recently conducted a three-day lecture for mothers on Infant and Young Child Feeding, with support from the Dumaguete City Health Office.
The lecture was coordinated with the barangay health workers and participated by at least nine lactating women from barangay Taclobo.
Nympha Joie Balabag, public health nurse, said the training involves prioritizing safe and appropriate feeding for infants and young children (0-2 years of age), good health practices, health hygiene, and understanding Republic Act 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009.
“Effective IYCF planning and guidance considers the specific needs of infants and young children,” she said, as the barangay aims to help protect and maximize child nutrition, health, and development.
In the lecture, they also discussed pre-natal, immunization of children, and family planning; and the importance of exclusive breastfeeding especially in the first six months of the baby’s life, and the giving of age-appropriate complementary foods by the sixth month, while continuing with breastfeeding at least until two years.
In 2002, the World Health Organization and UNICEF adopted the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding to revitalize world attention to the impact that feeding practices have on the nutritional status, growth, development and health. (Shelley Bais & Dessah Mae Barlas)
