Hospital adopts breastfeeding policy

Port Shepstone Regional Hospital recently adopted a Breastfeeding Policy aligned with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Mother Baby Friendly Initiative (MBIF).

The hospital’s PRO, Phumza Morai, said the policy contains 10 steps to successful breastfeeding which should be practised in order for the institution to maintain its ‘Baby Friendly’ status.

Morai was speaking after the hospital’s Clinical Education and Training Unit preceptors Samantha Etty and Vimla Naicker embarked on nurses’ training last week 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’.

She said nurses who attended the training received knowledge on ways to protect, promote and support breastfeeding through a 20 hour training programme which covered the 10 steps as outlined by the policy.

“Day one and day two were theory sessions and day three was a practical session where nurses visited the maternity units. Topics covered included health education, 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 where mother and the baby are separated due to work or schooling commitments,” she said, adding that the training is important as it equips staff with the necessary skills to assist and support breastfeeding mothers in the institution while upholding the WHO – Mother Baby Friendly Initiative.
Morai said 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 a big fulfilment,” she said.

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