Breastfeeding Week Inaugurated at Father Muller Charitable Institutions
Mangaluru: The Father Muller Medical College and Hospital in association with and Father Muller College of Nursing jointly organized the Breastfeeding Week awareness programme on august 1.
The programme began with an invocation. Dr Nagarathna G, Professor and Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, welcomed the gathering.
Dr Poornima J, Senior Specialist, Community Health Center, Mulki and Lady Goshen Hospital Mangaluru was the chief guest. The week-long awareness programme was inaugurated by Dr Poornima by lighting the traditional lamp along with the new and expecting mothers of the OBG wards of FMCH.
Addressing the gathering Dr Poornima said, “After the delivery doctors forget to explain the mothers about the importance of breastfeeding which leads to improper nutrition to the infant. Breastfeeding is very much important to every newborn within one hour of delivery, be it normal or C-section. Breastfeeding helps to stimulate the production of breast milk through hormones generated which stimulates the brain to expedite lactation.”
Dr Poornima further said, “There is a misconception of feeding the first milk – colostrums, being bad, but it is the one which contains the immunity building blocks for the child which the mother passes to the newborn. There is the urgent need of doctors and the nursing aids to learn the concept of latching for better feeding of the infant, which needs to be told to new mothers. Mother’s milk is the only food for the infant for the first six months. Infant deaths have taken simply in the name of no breast milk by the mother, which is false as every mother generates enough milk for the sustenance of her child. The more the mother breastfeeds her child more milk generates. For a day or two, both the mother and the child struggle to breastfeed but on the third day, they get accustomed to it. Myths regarding breastfeeding should be addressed and scientific methods should be brought forth. She explained to the doctors and mothers the importance of breastfeeding and the importance of the mother’s milk. Feeding bottle and milk substitutes are now slowly being banned to inculcate the habit of breastfeeding. She enumerated the advantages of breastfeeding in child spacing too. She enthralled the audience by her simplistic reasoning to wavering myths”.
Fr Richard A Coelho, Director FMCI, in his presidential address, congratulated the organizers for holding the week-long awareness programme on breastfeeding. Fr Richard said that children are the greatest gift from God. In the olden days those who do not have children were considered to be a curse but now with the science and technology many couples have been gifted with children. Every child needs attention and good nutrition which all the mothers can provide to their infants that is milk. Breast milk is very much necessary for the total development of the child. Many people are not aware of the importance of breastfeeding, and they provide supplements to their children. This affects the physical, psychological and spiritual growth of the child.
There was a poster competition on breastfeeding, the competition was judged by Dr Soumya (Community Medicine) and Anusha Fernandes. Prizes were distributed to the winners by Fr Rudolph Ravi D’Sa, Administrator, Father Muller Medical College Hospital and Sr Janet D’Souza, Chief Nursing Officer.
First place : Ms Sharon Maria
Second Place : Ms Vijetha AS
Third Place : Ms Binu AS
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Preetham Tauro. Ramya Shree, Lecturer OBG, FMCON compered the programme. Director FMCI Fr Rudolph R D’SA, Convenor of the programme Reena Frank, Fr Ajith Menezes, Administrator, Father Muller Medical College, Dr J P Alva, Dean, Father Medical College Hospital and Dr Devina Rodrigues, Vice Principal, Father Muller College of Nursing were present.
The breastfeeding week is being celebrated from 1 to 7 August 2019 at Father Muller Medical College Hospital.
