World Breastfeeding Week 2023

World Breastfeeding Week 2023 - Report

August 14, 2023

The Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing (MCON), Manipal, and the Department of Neonatology & Paediatrics, Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), in collaboration with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), Udupi District Branch observed ‘World Breastfeeding Week 2023’ on the theme “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” with various activities conducted from 1st to 7th August 2023. The program initiated widespread awareness to generate support for women in health facilities and workplaces and to advocate for strengthening existing programs that enable working mothers. Breastfeeding is critical for a child's healthy future. It is a foundation for the health and well-being of the baby, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 12, which emphasize poverty, hunger, health and well-being, education, gender equality, and sustainable consumption.

Week-long activities were conducted as part of the World Breastfeeding Week celebrations. The activities are as follows: poster competition for the staff and students of MAHE, an awareness program for 18 General Duty workers and 23 postnatal mothers on ‘Breastfeeding and its importance’ was conducted by Dr. Yashoda Sathish, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal and Dr. Jayashree Purkayastha, Professor, Pediatrics, KMC, Manipal on August 02, 2023. As part of the Community Awareness program, an interview on FM Radio was carried out by Dr Yashoda Sathish on August 02, 2023, which was telecasted on 3 & 4 August 2023. A television talk and discussion on a Daijiworld TV channel and Udayavani TV Channel on “Sthanya Pana Amrutha Pana” was given by Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC, Manipal on 4 August 2023 respectively. Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC, Manipal, gave a short talk to Udayavani on the breastfeeding week theme. A quiz competition on the article was conducted for the medical students in the Pediatric classroom at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, on August 3, 2023. The quiz master was Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC, Manipal. A workshop on Lactation Management for staff nurses of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, was organized on August 5, 2023, by Dr Sheila Samanta Mathai. Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj and Dr. Jayashree Purakayastha, Department of Neonatology, KMC, MAHE, Manipal, with three demonstration sessions on breastfeeding initiation, breast milk expression, and problems related to breastfeeding. A total number of 45 staff nurses, BSc. MSc Nursing and Pediatric PG students benefitted from the program. A write-up in a local newspaper (Udayavani), “Increasing the use of Human Donor Milk: A Public Health Imperative”, by Mrs. Anusuya V Prabhu, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, Dr. Sheila Samanta Mathai, Professor & Head, Neonatology Unit, KMC, Manipal and Mrs. Remya UR, Ph.D. Scholar, MCON, MAHE, Manipal on July 30, 2023.

Poster competition for students:

The poster competition was conducted on 01.08.2023 for students and nurses. Posters were invited on the theme: “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” Eleven contestants from institutions across India and from abroad submitted their posters for consideration. The posters were scrutinized by two judges, and the best two posters were awarded. The winners were: All the participants received participation certificates in recognition of their effort. Posters were displayed in the Women and Child Health block during breastfeeding week from 1-7 August.

Quiz competition:

A quiz competition on the theme: “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” was conducted for the medical students in the Pediatric classroom at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, on August 3, 2023. The quiz master was Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC, Manipal. The winners were: All the participants received participation certificates in recognition of their effort.

Health talk:

An awareness program for General Duty workers on the theme: “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” was conducted by Dr. Yashoda Sathish, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, and Dr. Jayashree Purkayastha, Professor, Pediatrics, KMC, Manipal on August 02, 2023. Highlighted on initiation of breastfeeding, its importance, understanding the adequacy of breastfeeding, and management of problems of breastfeeding, and also discussed the importance of the theme of WBW 2023. A total of 18 participants benefited from this program. Participants have clarified their doubts and well appreciated.

An awareness program for mothers of high-risk infants on the theme: “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” was conducted by Dr. Yashoda Sathish, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal on August 02, 2023, in the neonatal unit and on 4^th August in the postnatal ward. Highlighted on initiation of breastfeeding, its importance, understanding the adequacy of breastfeeding, and management of problems of breastfeeding, and also discussed the importance of the theme of WBW 2023. A total of 15 mothers and their family participants benefited from this program in the neonatal unit and 23 mothers of the postnatal ward of Kasturba Hospital Manipal. Participants have clarified their doubts and are well appreciated in their feedback.

Community Awareness program:

As part of the Community Awareness program, an interview on FM Radio was carried out by Dr Yashoda Sathish on August 02, 2023, which was telecasted on 3 & 4 August 2023.

A television talk and discussion on a Daijiworld TV channel on “Sthanya Pana Amrutha Pana” on 4th August and on 5th August “Methods and Importance of Breastfeeding in Children” was recorded for the Facebook page of Udayavani TV Channel. The interview was given by Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC. In her talk, she highlighted when the mother has to prepare for breastfeeding, its initiation, importance, understanding of the adequacy of breastfeeding, problems and management of breastfeeding, and also discussed the methods of expressing breast milk, how to give expressed breast milk, and storage of breast milk. She has emphasized the importance of family members and society in an increase in the breastfeeding rate.

A write-up in a local newspaper (Udayavani), “Increasing the use of Human Donor Milk: A Public Health Imperative”, by Mrs. Anusuya V Prabhu, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, Dr. Sheila Samanta Mathai, Professor & Head, Neonatology Unit, KMC, Manipal and Mrs. Remya UR, PhD Scholar, MCON, MAHE, Manipal on July 30, 2023.

The Kannada translation of “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents” prepared by the Breastfeeding Network of India has been published in Udayavani Health Magazine on 31st July 2023 and 6th August 2023.

Television program:

A television talk and discussion recording on “Sthanya Pana Amrutha Pana” on Daijiworld TV channel on 4th August and methods of Breastfeeding and its importance in Udayavani Facebook page on 5th August 2023 by Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, Neonatology, KMC, Manipal. She has highlighted that mothers should know about breastfeeding from the antenatal period, she also discussed the early initiation of breastfeeding, its importance, how to understand the adequacy of breastfeeding, and methods, and also discussed the problems of breastfeeding and how to overcome the problems, how to store breastmilk. She emphasized the importance of family members and social support in increasing breastfeeding rates. The interview is available on the YouTube channel.

Valedictory program:

The valedictory program of the World Breastfeeding Week celebration was held on 5th August 2023. Dr. Shruthi Kumar Bharadwaj, Assistant Professor, Department of Neonatology, KMC, MAHE, Manipal, welcomed the gathering. Mrs. Anusuya V Prabhu, Assistant Professor, MCON, MAHE, Manipal, gave an overview of World breastfeeding week 2023 activities. Dr. Leslie Lewis, HoD, Pediatrics, KMC, Manipal addressed the gathering and emphasized the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and antenatal interventions and gave a call for the healthcare professionals to educate and support the mothers after the birth of the baby and establish EBF before discharge. He also added that breastfeeding is the birthright of the baby.

The Chief Guest, Dr. Padmaraj Hegde, Dean, KMC, Manipal, emphasized that healthcare professionals raise awareness of exclusive breastfeeding and contribute to the overall well-being of the mother and child, thus contributing to the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs). Dr. Sheila Samanta Mathai, Professor & Head, Neonatology Unit, KMC, Manipal, spoke on the theme and emphasized initiating a human breast milk bank and its advantages. She also added to educate the working mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively and emphasized workplace support for the mothers and the importance of a comprehensive lactation management center. Prize distribution for the winners of the Poster competition done by Dr. Padmaraj Hegde and the quiz competition by Dr. Avinash Shetty. Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital Manipal. Dr. Baby S Nayak, Professor & Head, Department of Child Health (Pediatric) Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, MAHE, Manipal, proposed the vote of thanks. Mothers should be continually empowered, and healthcare professionals should inform, anchor, engage and galvanize actions for breastfeeding. The whole program received much appreciation. Ms Pavithra hosted the event.

The World Breastfeeding Week 2023 events were coordinated by Mrs. Anasuya V Prabhu and Dr. Yashoda Sathish from Manipal College of Nursing Department of Child Health Nursing, MCON, Manipal and Dr. Sheila S Mathai and Dr. Shruthi Bharadwaj from the Department of Neonatology, Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).