Madhya Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on Wednesday said that women who are part of the urban populations, do not breastfeed their children because of fear of losing their figure.
“Even today, women in cities believe that it (breastfeeding) will spoil their figure, which is why they do not breastfeed their children. They start bottle feeding their children,” Ms Patel said during a programme at an Anganwadi centre in Indore’s Kashipuri, according to PTI.
“If the children are bottle-fed then their fate will also be shattered the way a bottle does,” she added.
Patel also stressed on the need for a wholesome diet to ensure better health of the mother and the newborn. The governor advised pregnant women to register themselves with the Anganwadi centres to avail the benefits of government schemes.
She also encouraged women to take advantage the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), an initiative aimed at reducing exposure of women and children to smoke by providing clean cooking fuel.
(With agency inputs)