CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The first one thousand days - from conception up to two years old, the child’s nutrition is vital for his physical and mental development notwithstanding, but most importantly increase his chances of survival and live better quality of life.

The National Nutrition Council (NNC), in capping the long celebration of the nutrition month, held a Regional Forum on The First 1000 Days, which centered on the importance of maternal nutrition and proper infant and young child feeding practices, particularly exclusive breast feeding  for the first six months and timely introduction of complementary feeding at six months with breastfeeding to continue until two years or beyond.

Dr. Nimfa B. Torrizo, Department of Health regional director in Northern Mindanao and the Chairperson of the Regional Nutrition Committee X, said that the first 1000 days from start of a woman’s pregnancy until the child’s second birthday offers a critical window of opportunity to ensure a healthy start of life.

She said that pregnant women should be taken care of to ensure that the pregnancy goes through the nine month period uneventful that antenatal check ups should be done routinely and not just when there are some underlying medical conditions present.

“A healthy mother begets a healthy baby. During pregnancy, the baby is solely dependent on the mother for nourishment so that mothers are advised to get a balanced diet and take vitamins and minerals.” Torrizo said.

She said that ferrous sulphate is essential for pregnant women to prevent maternal anemia and folic acid to prevent neural defects for baby in her womb, adding that “proper maternal nutrition helps ensure a good pregnancy outcome, that of a bouncing, cute baby”.

Torrizo said that at birth, proper intrapartum care must be given to the baby, a challenge for all mothers and health workers.

DOH records show that majority of infants die during the first three days of life, the golden period for the infant to survive. This condition is specifically true to infants born to malnourished mothers who did not have proper prenatal check ups; to women who had infections during pregnancy; to women who have delivered in their homes without the presence of skilled health professionals; and more prevalent for babies who were deprived from breastfeeding within the first hour after birth.

DOH said that breastfeeding has been proven to be the source of the most ideal food for infants as breastmilk not only gives the nutrients they need but also the antibodies that can help protect them from common childhood illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of infant deaths worldwide.

The World Health Organization 2014 report showed that about 800,000 lives among children under 5 years old can be saved every year globally, if all our children aged 0-23 months are optimally breastfed since good nutrition during this period can help maximize the child’s ability to grow, learn and develop that will have profound effect in his health, well-being and success in his later life. The strong emotional bond that is developed between the breastfeeding infant and the mother is underscored.

Republic Act 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act urges the establishment of breastfeeding stations in public places, allowing lactation breaks and other ways and means to support breastfeeding in the workplace. Human milk banks are also encouraged where mothers who would have difficulty of breastfeeding their young can access the milk to ensure that their baby take only breastmilk and no artificial milk is tasted until they are successful at their attempts to breastfeed.

Marissa D.M. Navales, NNC Nutrition Program Coordinator for Region 10 said that the first 1000 days is a "golden window of opportunity" in the life of a new human being, where nutrition is the most vital since its result would last a life time. This includes the 270 days of pregnancy, 365 days of their first year and 365 days of year two when the nutritional foundation for life and for the baby’s future health development starts.

“All it takes is plenty of love and best nutrition that we can provide. The better nutrition we give to the baby during the first 1000 days, the better health for life is ensured.” Navales said, adding that the NNC is tasked to promote good nutrition for all ages. And a good foundation for a better health is when during the formative years of a child is rightly nourished, loved and nurtured.

NNC revealed that in the country 24.8 percent or about 25 of 100 pregnant women are nutritionally at risk; 25.2 percent are anemic; 23.2 percent of infants are born with low birth weight ; only 28.4 percent of infant zero to five months old are exclusively breastfed; only 15.5 percent of 6-23 months meet the minimum adequate diet; 39.5 percent of one year old children are anemic; while 36.2 percent of the one year old are stunted.

“With these statistics we can see that we need to drum-beat our advocacy to help our women understand and become well informed as to how crucial their role as mothers so that they will deliver healthy and well nourished babies and for productive Filipinos in the future".  

As the mother gives birth, with the umbilical cord uncut, the infant is placed on top of the bosom of the mother holding her baby in an embrace so that both could feel their body heat. The procedure is called “Unang Yakap” (first embrace).

The Unang Yakap is a special program of DOH being implemented in birthing rooms during child birth. It refers to the Essential Intrapartum Newborn Care — sequential procedures that needs to be carried out for the optimal welfare of the newly born baby.

Dr. Ma. Elen Santua, DOH-10 FPSMS Development Manager said that the Unang Yakap is to promote bonding between mother and child while preventing heat loss during delivery.  Provides superior nutrition for optimum growth, provides adequate water for hydration, protects against infection and allergies, and promotes bonding and development.

She said that with the Unang Yakap the mother starts to breast feed her baby where the infant innately sucks the nipple for  milk.

Santua said that mother’s milk has the most powerful natural antibiotic called the colustrum that the infant needs for the protection from infections and allergy. It has plenty of white blood cells that helps prevent jaundice, plenty of vitamin A that reduces the severity of some infections such as measles and diarrhea and prevents vitamin A related eye disease, and it hastens the child’s intestine to mature.   

“Mother’s milk is all natural and a God given gift has been proven to prevent child morbidity and mortality while keeping the mother healthy where the risk of ovarian and breast cancer is reduced, among other benefits.” Santua said.

She said that for a child given artificial feeding or the manufactured infant formula, the risks are enormous like diarrhea and respiratory infection, malnutrition that lead to vitamin A deficiency, more likely that an infant dies, more allergies and milk intolerance, overweight, increased risk of some chronic diseases, lower scores on intelligence tests, the mother may become pregnant sooner and at risk of ovarian and breast cancer and may suffer anaemia.    

The Forum was highlighted by the awarding of the winners of the Mobile Photo Contest among elementary and high schools students focusing on the theme "First 1000 days ni baby pahalagahan para sa malusog na kinabukasan". -Sunstar CDO-