Only one in four babies in Bauchi is exclusively breastfed for six months despite more than 90 per cent of mothers breastfeeding, UNICEF says.
Health authorities in Bauchi State have launched a fresh campaign to dismantle myths surrounding breastfeeding, warning that misinformation, poverty and harmful cultural practices are undermining child survival despite widespread acceptance of breastfeeding across the state.
At the flag-off of the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week in Bauchi on Monday, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Muhammad, dismissed one of the most persistent misconceptions among women—that breastfeeding causes breasts to sag.
“Breastfeeding your children will not make your breasts fall or sag,” he said. “Ageing naturally changes the body. Mothers should not deny their babies the benefits of breastfeeding because of that fear.”
His remarks came as health officials and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed concern that while more than nine out of every 10 mothers in Bauchi breastfeed their babies, only about 26 per cent practise exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, while just 12 per cent begin breastfeeding within the critical first hour after birth.
Health experts describe those first sixty minutes as one of the most important windows for a newborn’s survival.
The first milk, known as colostrum, is rich in antibodies and nutrients that protect newborns against infections. Medical experts often describe it as a baby’s first natural immunisation because it strengthens immunity before routine vaccines begin.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months significantly reduces the risk of diarrhoea, pneumonia and malnutrition—the leading causes of preventable deaths among children under five worldwide. It also lowers mothers’ risks of breast and ovarian cancers while reducing household spending on infant feeding.
Dr. Muhammad described breast milk as “the child’s first medicine and first immunisation,” stressing that no manufactured substitute can fully reproduce its biological composition.
“If the mother is well nourished, the child benefits directly,” he said, arguing that improving maternal nutrition remains one of the most cost-effective investments in child health.
He linked Nigeria’s persistent malnutrition burden to rising poverty, inflation and poor nutritional knowledge rather than food scarcity alone.
“The income of many families is extremely low. Inflation has made healthy diets more difficult, but many households still have access to nutritious local foods they do not fully utilise because of limited information.”
The campaign coincides with the Federal Government’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Weeks, during which pregnant women and young children receive Vitamin A supplements, deworming medication, folic acid, multiple micronutrient supplements, immunisation, antenatal services and nutrition counselling.
Dr. Muhammad said Vitamin A remains critical for strengthening immunity, improving eyesight, supporting healthy growth and reducing childhood diarrhoea.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, said the state’s breastfeeding culture remains strong, but optimal breastfeeding practices continue to lag behind.
She warned that many newborns are still given water, honey, herbal mixtures and other traditional substances immediately after birth—a practice health experts say exposes infants to dangerous infections.
“A baby should receive breast milk within the first hour after birth without water or any other liquids,” she said. “Introducing anything else increases the risk of diarrhoea and other infections.”
Rafique said the first 1,000 days of life—from conception until a child’s second birthday—represent the most important period for brain development, physical growth and lifelong health.
Research published by WHO and UNICEF has consistently shown that children who are optimally breastfed have lower risks of infectious diseases, improved cognitive development and better long-term health outcomes, while mothers benefit from faster postpartum recovery and reduced risks of several cancers.
This year’s World Breastfeeding Week carries the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” highlighting the need to expand interventions already proven to improve child nutrition.
Rafique welcomed the Bauchi State Government’s approval of six months’ paid maternity leave for public servants, describing the policy as an important step towards enabling exclusive breastfeeding.
She also commended the state’s commitment of ₦500 million as counterpart funding for the Child Nutrition Fund and expressed optimism that the resources would be released promptly to strengthen nutrition programmes.
Beyond government action, however, she argued that successful breastfeeding depends on collective support from fathers, families, employers, communities and healthcare workers.
“Breastfeeding is not solely a mother’s responsibility,” she said. “Families, workplaces, healthcare providers and governments all have roles to play in creating an environment where mothers can breastfeed successfully.”
UNICEF said it will continue supporting Bauchi through nutrition campaigns, community education, the First 1,000 Days Nutrition Social and Behaviour Change Campaign, and the Zero Water Campaign, which discourages giving water or other liquids to babies under six months.
For health officials, the message behind this year’s campaign is simple: one of the most effective tools for reducing child deaths, improving nutrition and protecting maternal health costs nothing.
The challenge is ensuring that every mother receives the knowledge, support and confidence to use it.
