Sidra Medicine is observing World Breastfeeding Week from 1 to 7 August 2017 with a series of health education updates for mothers. The focus of this year’s campaign is on the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers and the environment.
Patients and families visiting the Sidra Medicine Outpatient Clinic can visit an information booth from 1 to 3 August at the Obstetrics Clinic as well as join an education session about breastfeeding on 2 and 3 August 2017 at the Patient Resource Center. The education sessions will be in English and Arabic and will run for both days from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm. A clinical nurse, dietitian along with a team of health promoters will be on hand to help address questions and share key information related to the benefits of breastfeeding. Please note this is not a CME accredited session. For more details, please click here.
As part of its patient and family centered care for patients, Sidra Medicine is also currently in the process of an international recruitment campaign to hire lactation consultants. The hiring for these roles is based on an increasing need to support and educate expectant mothers with important information about breastfeeding and to help guide new mothers on how to properly breastfeed their child.
“Statistics released by the Ministry of Public Health and Qatar Statistics Authority in 2012 have indicated that only 29 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants for six months. We are really hoping to play an important role in encouraging mothers in Qatar to breastfeed their children. There are multiple benefits to breastfeeding for both the baby and the mother. There are also environmental benefits. We will start with the hiring of 14 lactation consultants as part of our crucial pre and post pregnancy related care that will be offered by our women’s services teams,” said Ms. Sharmane Allen, Nursing Director of Postpartum and Lactation Services, Sidra Medicine.
The lactation consultants will be part of a wider team of healthcare professionals dedicated to ensuring that pregnant women, babies and mothers will receive a holistic approach to care – starting with prenatal consultations all the way to post-delivery counsel and guidance. Sidra Medicine will also offer ante-natal classes for mothers. Families particularly fathers will be encouraged to join so that they too can benefit from information on how to support the mother during different phases of her pregnancy and once the baby arrives.
Benefits of breastfeeding:
Mothers:
- Protects against diseases (e.g. breast and ovarian cancer, Type II diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease)
- Stimulates brain to release hormones that reduce the risk of postpartum depression
- Helps with weight loss
- Helps womb return to its normal size more quickly
For babies, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months reduces the risks of:
- Allergies, asthma and eczema,
- Ear and chest infections, coughs and colds
- sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Childhood diabetes and obesity
- Hospital visits due to diarrhea, vomiting and tummy pain
The environment:
- Breastfeeding is portable – saves natural resources such as water, electricity and fuel
- Helps to reduce waste products compared to formula milk
- Breastfeeding is natural and it ensures the safest hygiene
- Breastfeeding saves money