Breastfeeding reduces infant mortality

Port Shepstone Regional Hospital is a ‘Baby Friendly’ hospital which has adopted a Breastfeeding Policy aligned to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mother Baby Friendly Initiative (MBFI).
This policy contains 10 steps to successful breastfeeding which should be practised in order for the institution to maintain its ‘Baby Friendly’ status.
The Clinical Education and Training Unit preceptors, Samantha Etty and Vimla Naicker embarked on nurses’ training at the end of March, which forms part of the requirements of the policy which states ‘ensure that staff is equipped with the knowledge, skills and competencies to support the breastfeeding mothers’.
Nurses who attended the training received knowledge to protect, promote and support breastfeeding through a 20 hour training programme which covered the steps as outlined by the policy.
Topics covered included health education to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding; how to overcome barriers to breastfeeding as well as the storage of breast milk for future use in case mother and the baby are separated due to work or schooling commitments.
The hospital’s PRO, Phumza Morai said that the training equips staff with necessary skills to assist and support breastfeeding mothers in the institution while upholding the WHO – MBFI.
“The aim is to ensure exclusive breastfeeding for all babies in the first six months of life as breastfeeding has been proven to be the single most powerful element to reduce infant and childhood mortality.
“Judging from the wonderful feedback and exuberance exhibited by the nursing staff who attended the training, it is without a doubt that the training was fulfilling,” said Morai.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram