As the world marks World Breastfeeding Week, nursing mothers in Abuja have shared their experiences with exclusive breastfeeding, describing it as rewarding but accompanied by emotional, physical and financial challenges.

The mothers spoke in interviews with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja. A first-time mother, Amina Ibrahim, said breastfeeding was nothing like she had imagined before giving birth.

“I thought it would come naturally, but my baby struggled to latch in the first few days. I cried almost every night because I felt I was failing as a mother,” she said.

Ms Ibrahim said encouragement from nurses and her husband helped her overcome the difficult period, enabling her to breastfeed her baby for six months exclusively.

Blessing Okafor, a banker and mother of a six-month-old baby, said returning to work after maternity leave almost ended her breastfeeding journey.

“My office has no breastfeeding room, so it became a daily struggle. Sometimes I worried my baby wasn’t getting enough breast milk,” she said.

Hauwa Sani, a mother of twins, said physical exhaustion and the high cost of maintaining a nutritious diet were among her greatest challenges.

“Breastfeeding two babies at the same time was not easy at all. I hardly get enough sleep, and I have to eat well to keep producing milk. Without my family’s support, I don’t think I would have managed through,” she said.

A father of two, Habib Ismail, said the role fathers play in successful breastfeeding is often overlooked.

“My job is to support my wife by helping with the baby and household chores. When fathers provide emotional and practical support, mothers are more likely to continue breastfeeding in spite of challenges,” he said.

A retired nurse at the General Hospital, Garki, Abuja, Safiya Sulaiman, said exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months provides all the nutrients an infant needs.

She said this was necessary because it protects babies against infections and reduces the risk of malnutrition.

She urged families, employers and communities to create supportive environments for breastfeeding mothers through flexible workplace policies, adequate maternity leave and increased public awareness.

Ms Sulaiman also advised mothers experiencing breastfeeding difficulties to seek help from trained health workers rather than abandoning exclusive breastfeeding because of temporary challenges.

As the World Breastfeeding Week progresses, many mothers said that beyond awareness campaigns, they need practical support at home, in workplaces and within their communities.

According to them, this will give every child the healthiest possible start in life.

(NAN)