With the theme of increasing breastfeeding support in the workplace, World Breastfeeding Week 2023 focuses on promoting the protection, support and encouragement of working mothers to continue breastfeeding, contributing to improving the health and protection of infants and young children in the context of increasing infectious diseases.
The Kien Giang Department of Health directed the Provincial Center for Disease Control, the Provincial Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, and district and city health centers to educate employers about the benefits of breastfeeding to support mothers to maintain their breast milk supply when returning to work after 6 months of maternity leave, and to continue breastfeeding for up to 24 months or longer. At the same time, communicate to all levels, sectors and people about the importance of breastfeeding for the health of mothers, infants and young children...
Dr. Tran The Vinh - Deputy Director of the Center for Disease Control of Kien Giang province said: "The Center for Disease Control of the province promotes direct and indirect propaganda measures to help mothers improve their knowledge and correct awareness of breastfeeding methods, focusing on direct propaganda work. All pregnant mothers who come to the Center for Disease Control of the province for examination and pregnancy monitoring are consulted by medical staff so that mothers have knowledge about the valuable source of nutrition of breast milk and are well prepared mentally to breastfeed their children."
Pregnant women come to Kien Giang Province Center for Disease Control for ultrasound to monitor pregnancy and receive advice on the benefits of breastfeeding.
Going to the Provincial Center for Disease Control for a regular pregnancy check-up, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Diem, residing in My Lam commune, Hon Dat district (Kien Giang) shared: “When I was pregnant, I went to the center for a check-up, pregnancy monitoring, and was carefully consulted by the doctor about prenatal screening and the benefits of breastfeeding. Although I had to go back to work after maternity leave, I tried to prepare well to exclusively breastfeed my child for the first 6 months and longer so that my child could develop well and save on childcare costs.”
According to Bachelor Huynh Xuan Thuy - Deputy Head of the Department of Reproductive Health, Provincial Center for Disease Control, breastfeeding brings many practical benefits to both mother and baby. Breast milk is the perfect source of nutrition to help children develop physically. Breast milk also provides antibodies to protect children, fight diseases, improve intelligence and limit infections.
Every year, the Provincial Center for Disease Control organizes World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7, considering this the peak of the propaganda campaign; strengthening group counseling and nutrition club activities. The propaganda content focuses on the benefits of skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth and breastfeeding within the first hour; implementing exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, appropriate complementary feeding when the child is 6 months old and continuing to maintain breastfeeding until 24 months.
Thanks to the promotion of counseling and propaganda, mothers have learned to take advantage of the precious nutritional source of colostrum (milk in the first hour after birth); know how to preserve and maintain breast milk. Currently, the rate of babies breastfed in the first hour is 90-97% compared to newborns in the whole province; the rate of babies exclusively breastfed in the first 6 months is 60-80%.
Article and photos: MI NI
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