ලංකාපුවත්, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජාතික ප්‍රවෘත්ති නියෝජිත ආයතනය.

(Colombo-Lankapuvath) No company in the world has ever produced a substitute to breast milk. Scientific studies have revealed that during different times of the day the nutrients of the breast milk change and the milk offer different nutrients at different times of the day.

The infant receive different nutrients when it sucks breast milk from mother at different times including morning, mid day, evening, night etc.

Dr.Deepika Attygalle revealed these facts addressing a media seminar at the Health Education Bureau on National Breastfeeding Week.

According to the breast feeding and health indicators in the world Sri Lanka is well ahead of other countries. Around 98% of child births take place in hospitals in Sri Lanka and 79% of the infants receive breast milk within the first hour of birth. Around 75 % of infants receive only breast milk during their first six months.
 
This is due to free health services, high literacy rate of the public and awareness.

Deputy Director General, Health Services, Public Health, Dr.Palitha Maheepala emphasized the importance of establishing proper environment and train health staff to assist mothers to breast feed.

Sri Lanka Health Education Bureau launched a National Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to August 7 to encourage the mothers to breast feed their children.

Arrangements have been made to educate MPs of Parliament on the National Policy on Breastfeeding and employers to allow mothers to breast feed.