The Ministry of Health is observing National Breastfeeding Week 2010, under the theme “Breastfeeding: Just 10 steps the baby friendly way” , from September 12 – 18, 2010. The theme reinforces the Health Ministry’s efforts towards the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and in the broadening of the Ministry’s Baby Friendly hospital programme, since the aim is to make the 10 steps mentioned in the theme the standard practice in all health care facilities.
It is expected that every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should follow the 10 steps to make breastfeeding successful. These include:-
* A breastfeeding policy
* Training of health care staff to ensure implementation of the policy
* Informing all pregnant women about the benefits of breastfeeding
* Helping mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of giving birth
* Showing mothers how to breastfeed and the maintenance of lactation
* Giving newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk
* Allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day
* Encouraging breastfeeding on demand
* Giving no pacifiers to breastfeeding infants and
* Fostering the establishment of breastfeeding support groups.
The Ministry’s commitment to continuously promote breastfeeding is in sync with achieving the fourth and fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) which highlights the reduction of child mortality and improving maternal health.
The Health Ministry disclosed that in Guyana, of the 11 hospitals, three of them have implemented the 10 steps, thereby contributing to the increase in breastfeeding rates. These hospitals include West Demerara Regional, Region Three; Suddie, Region Two; and Upper Demerara Regional, Region Four; they are all certified as Baby Friendly.
Activities for Breastfeeding Week include discussions on the theme at clinics, sensitisation workshops on the baby-friendly initiative, lectures at various health centres, TV programmes, presentation of certificates to mothers who have fully breastfed, a health fair, a walk-a-ton and an open day.
The Ministry has mounted previous campaigns alerting mothers that breastfeeding alone is needed for the first six months of a baby’s life. (GINA)