World Breastfeeding Week 2008: Mother Support - Going for the Gold
The first week of August every year is celebrated the world over as WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) World Breastfeeding Week. This years theme is Mother Support - Going for the Gold!
Activities are planned in Male’ and some of the islands. In Male’ IGMH andDPH are organizing a mothers’ group forum for the 6th of August to be held at IGMH. Hulhumale’ Hospital is planning to hold information sharing activities with mothers with the help of their Mothers’ Support group which was inaugurated earlier this year. Hulhumale’ Hospital is likely to be accredited as a Baby Friendly Hospital some time this year. Activities are also reportedly being planned in those islands with regional hospitals. I will be traveling to Raa Atoll to conduct Breastfeeding Counseling andEssential Newborn Care training after taking part in the activities at IGMH (and hopefully Hulhumale’).
This would have been an opportune time in beginning implementing theMaldives Food and Drug Authority (MFADA) Code on Breast Milk Substitutes. However, a TV announcement is reporting that businesses are being given (an extension to previously announced conformity deadline) until the end of August 2008.
With the new changes at the work place and a continued lack of adequateMaternity Leave in the new Labour Law, protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding remains a huge challenge. Many mothers’ are likely to face hurdles in sustaining exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months a challenge until and unless legislations protect this basic right of a mother and child. Some improvements are nonetheless noted; with mothers allowed two opportunities to leave work place to nurse their feeding infants. This, I believe is not enough. More changes are needed. Making work places, not just Hospitals, Baby Friendly could be part of the solution. We, in the Maldives, are a long way away from such work place changes.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and continued breastfeeding (along with appropriate complementary food) until 2 years and beyond remains the best practice advice for feeding young infants. Infant and young child malnutrition continues to be a major public health problem in the Maldives (as reported by a UNICEF report last year). One practice that would reduce the incidence and magnitude of this problem would be to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Ensuring a good beginning and assisting parents with appropriate transitioning could, potentially, address infant and young child malnutrition in the Maldives.
Here are a few links to some internet resources on breastfeeding:
