DR. MUBINA APPEARS ON A MORNING TALK SHOW ON CITY21 CHANNEL

On Friday, 26^th January 2023, The Chairperson of HOPE – An NGO in Pakistan, Dr. Mubina Aboatwalla was invited for a morning Talk show on City21 channel.  The other guest who were invited on the talk show were Dr. Ibrahim Yousuf (A Pediatric Consultant) and Rani Apa. The topic discussed on the talkshow was based on neonatal care and the importance of mother’s milk during the initial months.

New parents are bombarded with conflicting information about feeding their baby. Many traditional techniques of feed include giving Ghutti to neonatal, which is highly discouraged by doctors, since it may result in a strong and over dosage of nutrients making digestion difficult. Ghutti consists of a combination of ingredients which include jaiphal, anjeer, kishmish, ajwain, sonth, palash beej, Vacha, Sanai, etc.

 However, the first year of life is a period when the body is undergoing rapid growth and changes. Our long-term body weight, fitness, metabolic programming, immune system, and overall ageing are all influenced by what we eat as babies.

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla -  Child specialist in Karachi in the talk show along with Dr. Ibrahim Yousuf spoke about how important breast feed is for the initial first 6 months of life, babies may be exclusively breastfed. They further added that breast milk contains the ideal food combination for children. Antibodies, antimicrobials, enzymes and anti-inflammatories as well as fatty acids, are all present (which together promote optimal brain development). The closer a child is kept to the mother’s chest; it will result in a higher production of breast milk which is beneficial for the baby. 

Breastfeeding also aids in the proper development and growth of babies, as well as in the prevention of illness (such as gastrointestinal and respiratory infections) in the future. It can also ensure that children grow up to prefer nutritious foods.

Since breastfeeding triggers the release of beneficial hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin, it may help the mother lose weight and bond with her baby. Breast milk is delivered in a biodegradable “organic package”, so mom doesn’t need to use any plastic packaging. Breast milk has enough water in it to keep the baby hydrated.  Top feed can be given at a later stage as an additional diet after 6 months.

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla, who is the Chairperson of HOPE – A Health NGO in Pakistan does her best to provide the basic knowledge, needed by young mothers for guidance.   So that they are aware of what is best for their babies.