World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) which is calendared annually from 1st to 7th August is celebrated worldwide. However, due to Emancipation Holidays celebrated in most Caribbean countries during the first week of August, World Breastfeeding Week is during a week in August or September. The Health Promotion Unit (Nutrition Surveillance Program) and The In-service Education Department at J.N.F. General Hospital is will be collaborating to celebrate the above event September 3rd – 8th.
Under this theme, the following activities will be carried out:
1) Sunday September 3rd– Church service Antioch Baptist Church
2) Monday September 4th– Presentations at J.N.F classroom:
- Assessment results of Baby Friendly Hospital audit
- International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes
3) Tuesday September 5th– Breast Feeding discussions (Community based facilities, Institution based facilities and Non-government facilities)
4) Wednesday September 6th– Breastfeeding Video broadcasting on Booking Day at Outpatient Department, J.N.F. General Hospital:
- Baby Crawl Video
- Benefits of Breastfeeding
- Baby Friendly Hospitals Success stories
- Signs of good Breastfeeding
5) Thursday September 7th– Breast feeding education on the streets of St. Kitts (Stop and Talk).
6) Friday September 8th– Presentations at J.N.F classroom:
- Practical demonstrations on Breastfeeding techniques facilitated by Nurse Ruth Connor.
Optimal breastfeeding practices benefit all mothers and children, regardless of where they live or level of economic well-being. Exclusive breastfeeding, in particular, is considered the cornerstone of child survival and health. It not only provides all the nutrients necessary for growth for the first six months of life, but also protection from many childhood life-threatening diseases and some noncommunicable diseases later in life. Breastfeeding contributes to child development, educational achievement and economic wellbeing.
Despite its numerous breastfeeding benefits, today´s world is not a supportive environment for women to breastfeed. To raise awareness and contribute to change that, this year´s theme of World Breastfeeding Week, is “Together we can make breastfeeding sustainable”.
When we think about breastfeeding, we relate it to the mother and her baby. However, effective breastfeeding depends on a collective effort as the reasons why a woman does not breastfeed her baby are many. Therefore, we all have a role to play, from family members to policy makers.
For too long, breastfeeding has been viewed as a personal issue rather than a collective societal responsibility. However, breastfeeding practices are influences by factors beyond their reach. For example, when women face obstacles because of limited or nonexistent maternity protection and rentless marketing by the breast-milk substitute industry.
In the Region, less than 32% of the infants are exclusively breastfed within the first 6 months of life. This regional rate hides progress in specific countries, some of which have made considerable progress in increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates. It also hides the challenge of others who show little or no progress. Collective work at all levels could speed up the change needed to make real the right of every infant to be breastfed and every woman’s right to breastfeed.
