Breastfeeding promoted in hospitals
Several years ago Belize hospitals embarked on a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. But the ten-step plan to strengthen relationships between nurses and expectant mothers and promote breastfeeding in our maternity wards has been difficult to complete. Rural and public health nurses and midwives met today to discuss how they can ensure that by the end of this year, their communities will turn away from the bottles and turn towards breastfeeding. Dorla Mckenzie, a public health nurse from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital says they have been using materials that include both print, videos and music like the song “Giving You The Best That I’ve Got” by singer Anita Baker to encourage mothers.
Dorla Mckenzie, Public Health Nurse
“Breastfeeding seems to be a problem in the community at large. People tend to look at the advertised formulas and bottles and get hooked on these things and they come into the hospital with their own ideas and so the whole ten step is trying to teach the mother, tell her what is best at the hospital to encourage full breastfeeding. Putting the baby to the breast as soon as possible after birth, keeping the baby with the mother together for bonding to take place and the mother can be given help in whatever kind of problem she might have in breastfeeding.”
“Is this Baby Friendly Hospital initiative something that is being practiced worldwide and do we here in Belize have a deadline as to when we should implement the steps? Well yes it is practiced worldwide and in Belize all the hospitals have a set a date as to when they will be called Baby Friendly to complete all their steps. Some hospitals are a little bit ahead and some are behind but so far there is no hospital at this point in time that has the whole ten steps and have the Baby Friendly Hospital.”
Mckenzie says one step that has been giving them problems is the formation of mother support groups. Mckenzie encourages mothers and soon-to-be mothers to get involved with the programme, not only to help the hospitals become Baby Friendly, but to help the babies as well. Today’s workshop was held at the City Center Conference room.
