First "Mamatren" This
Saturday
The ministro de Vivienda
(housing minister),
Fernando Zumbado,
announced his decision
yesterday to participate
in the celebrations of
the World Breastfeeding
Week an take part in the
fist "Mamatren" to be
held in Costa Rican
history.
The Mamatren will leave
the Rincón Grande de
Pavas station and make
its way to the
Universidad de Costa
Rica (UCR) with 300
women on board six train
cars breastfeeding their
infants.
Zumbado said that during
the trip he will be
playing the according
and support the women
who, through
breastfeeding are
guaranteeing the health
of the children.
At the UCR stop there
will be a ceremony that
will include mothers
giving testimony to the
benefits of
breastfeeding and the
gratification derived
from breastfeeding their
infants.
The celebration will
include a lunch that
will be prepared for the
mothers on their return
to the Pavas station.
The Demasa company, with
its plant at the edge of
the train station, is
sponsoring the lunch.
All the mothers live in
the area of Rincón
Grande.
It is estimated that
Costa Rican mothers
produce some 47 million
litres of breast milk
annually that could be
valued at us$29 million
dollars, representing a
savings of between 19%
and 37% of the family
income, not having to
spend on baby formula
and bottles.
The World Breastfeeding
Week is the greatest
outreach vehicle for the
breastfeeding movement,
being celebrated in over
120 countries.
Officially it is
celebrated from 1–7
August.
Experimental evidence
suggests that, with few
exceptions, human breast
milk is the best source
of nourishment for human
infants.Experts still
disagree about how long
breastfeeding should
continue to gain the
most benefit, and how
much extra risk is
involved in using breast
milk substitutes.
Breastfeeding benefits
both mother and child
physically and
psychologically.
Nutrients and antibodies
are passed to the baby
while hormones are
released into the
mother's body. The bond
between baby and mother
can also be strengthened
during breastfeeding. |
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