The golden benefits of early breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact with mother.

(Dan Tri) - Seemingly simple things like skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding help mothers stimulate milk production and limit postpartum hemorrhage. At the same time, they also help babies stabilize their body temperature, and colostrum helps babies develop immunity.

On October 21st, Duc Giang General Hospital (Hanoi) was officially recognized by the Ministry of Health as an outstanding hospital for breastfeeding practices.

Dr. Vu Thi Thu Nga, Head of the Neonatal Department at Duc Giang General Hospital, said that the Obstetrics Department currently receives more than 3,000 births each year. To provide maximum support for mothers, the hospital has invested in a separate breastfeeding room, fully equipped with cups, spoons, sterilization equipment, and breast pumps.

According to doctors, implementing the model faced many difficulties in the initial stages. Many mothers found prolonged skin-to-skin contact uncomfortable or still maintained the habit of bringing formula milk to the hospital for childbirth.

Breastfeeding offers many benefits for both mother and baby (Illustrative image: Tú Anh).

In particular, there are still cases where mothers receive calls advising them to use formula milk just a few hours after giving birth. This affects the mothers' morale in practicing breastfeeding.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Director of the Department of Maternal and Child Health (Ministry of Health ), stated that breastfeeding is the most important measure to enhance the survival and health of children. To ensure that all newborns receive exclusive breastfeeding, the Ministry of Health has implemented a model of excellent breastfeeding practice hospitals.

"This will encourage medical facilities specializing in obstetrics and pediatrics to properly implement the Ministry of Health's guidelines on supporting breastfeeding and providing essential early newborn care... These interventions will increase the rate of babies being breastfed within the first hour after birth and exclusively breastfed for the first six months," Mr. Chi said.

According to him, in order to meet the criteria of an excellent breastfeeding practice hospital, in addition to evaluations from professional bodies, this is the first time that feedback from mothers and their families has been included as a component of the evaluation process.

Specifically, at Duc Giang General Hospital, the rate of skin-to-skin contact for 90 minutes reached 100% for vaginal deliveries and 63% for cesarean sections. The hospital also implemented the technique of perineal preservation during vaginal deliveries from the beginning of 2024. To date, the rate of perineal resection and suturing in women giving birth vaginally has decreased to below 60%.

Skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding not only help mothers stimulate milk production and reduce postpartum hemorrhage, but also help babies stabilize their body temperature, boost immunity, and strengthen the mother-child bond.

Scaling up the model to improve the quality of maternal and child healthcare.

Associate Professor Dr. Do Dinh Tung, Director of Duc Giang General Hospital, speaks at the event (Photo: Provided by the hospital).

Associate Professor Dr. Do Dinh Tung, Director of Duc Giang General Hospital, added that this title is not only a source of joy but also a recognition of the persistent efforts, dedication, and love shown to mothers and children over the past time.

"This is a very difficult title to achieve. Therefore, it is both a great source of pride and a great responsibility. The hospital will continue to implement and spread this model to other medical facilities," Mr. Tung emphasized.

Mr. Vu Cao Cuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said that achieving this title is not only a joy for the hospital but also a shared pride of the capital's health sector in its efforts to care for the health of mothers and children. This title is both an honor and a great responsibility.

Therefore, he suggested that the hospital continue to maintain, strengthen, and build upon the achievements, while also spreading this model to other hospitals in the city.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/loi-ich-vang-cua-viec-cho-tre-bu-som-da-ke-da-voi-me-20251021215050649.htm