17. Lactation Management

This series of workshops will provide participants with the basics of lactation management and counsellor training, with the aim of showing individuals and institutions how this helps with the appropriate care of mothers and babies.

I. Breastfeeding Management Issues for Everyone Working with MTCT - Magda Sachs, The Breastfeeding Network, UK, and Clare Zunguza, SRN, SCM, Zimbabwe, Facilitators

PMTCT programmes, according to UN Guidelines, must support every woman's infant feeding choice. However, several early evaluations suggest that health workers know little, if anything, about how to support the women who choose to breastfeed. This session will provide an indication of the issues that PMTCT counsellors need to be aware of and trained in, including how to promote true exclusive breastfeeding, how to correct faulty suck, positioning and latching on (all likely to lead to problems that may increase HIV transmission risks), how to establish and maintain full breast milk production so that mixed feeding is not practised.         

II. How to Optimize Breastmilk Production from the Start

Effective lactation management, especially in the early post-partum period, may be critical in empowering the mother to breastfeed exclusively for six months.  Factors affecting breastmilk synthesis and regulation are described, together with practical methods that health workers can use to help mothers and babies in routine and special circumstances.

III. Lactation Management Strategies to Facilitate Exclusive
       Breastfeeding for a Full Six Months - Case Studies

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is known to result in optimal nutrition and immunity for infants as well as providing health benefits to mothers, including birth spacing.  The overwhelming majority of mothers are able to exclusively breastfeed their babies for a full six months without the need to use other foods or liquids, yet many mothers fall short of this goal. Participative case studies will be presented by a panel of lactation specialists. Time will be provided for participants to discuss especially challenging situations in their own work settings, (eg attachment or latching difficulties, and how to maintain adequate breastmilk production when a baby is not breastfeeding) and what practical techniques and strategies can be employed to assist mothers to overcome or work around these difficulties.

IV. How to get Lactation Management Training

There are several different courses on lactation management and breastfeeding counselling for health workers and lay counsellors. This session will outline the courses and how to approach training for individuals or within institutions.

15. Information, Education, Communication/ IT

I. How to Develop Effective Health Communication Materials - David
    Curtis, Healthlink Worldwide UK, and Dr. Rob Vincent, Exchange               
    Programme, UK, Facilitators

This session was an active participatory workshop that drew on participants' experience in developing resources. It did not follow the format of a traditional presentation. The session looked at the particular problems and challenges faced in the process of developing resources and offered an introduction to the QUEST methodology - a hands-on approach to material development. The group shared ideas and experience and together built an outline of the common challenges experienced in producing resources.

II. People's Media and Breastfeeding Arts - Dr. Rob Vincent, Exchange      
     Programme, UK, Facilitator  

A workshop combining the skills of mobilising popular media such as pop singers (eg. Madagascar) and local songs and lullabies in breastfeeding promotion, and a slide presentation on "Breastfeeding in the Arts" featuring artists of all centuries from the Egyptians to portraits of Holy Mary. Participants were invited to share other examples of how they have successfully utilised alternative media strategies (eg. theatre, songs) and breastfeeding art in their advocacy work.

• A pop-singer as a breastfeeding ambassador: an innovative approach in Madagascar - Dr. Agnes B. Guyon, LINKAGES-AED, Ethiopia

• Nurture baby's natural process of learning through lullabies while breastfeeding  - Amara Peeris, Sarvodaya Women's Movement,  Sri Lanka

• Breastfeeding in the arts - Anne-Marie Kern, IBCLC Austria

III. Using Information Technology in Breastfeeding Promotion - Dr. Rob Vincent, Exchange Programme, UK, Facilitator

This workshop helped participants feel more comfortable working with information technology as part of their day-to-day networking on breastfeeding promotion and advocacy. It also looked at a more creative use of websites and other e-communications to enhance networking nationally and across the globe and provided information on how to set up information resources (such as e-groups and websites) for countries without. 

IV. Props-Making and Acting, the Pantomime Mums - Ines Fernandez,
       ARUGAAN, Philippines, Facilitator

Learn the art of advocacy through a new means of expression and practice your performance skills. This workshop will provide a lesson about how to use props, make-up, music and motion to communicate invaluable messages.