8. Global Initiative for Mother Support (GIMS)

Every woman, irrespective of her circumstances, should have lay, professional and social support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum for her decision to breastfeed and should receive the necessary information, education and encouragement enabling her to have the breastfeeding experience she and her child want. GIMS is a global initiative that focuses on women's needs and rights to adequate and accurate information, support and health care services before, during and after childbirth. The initiative takes a holistic view of women's reproductive cycle, and promotes various measures to help mothers and their infants experience optimal breastfeeding. The GIMS workshops aim to identify specific support measures for mothers from different sectors.

I. GIMS - Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers Receive Direct Support
    - Rebecca Magalhaes, LLLI/WABA, USA Facilitator

Learn about three models of direct support for breastfeeding: mother-to-mother, lactation consultant to mother and health professional to mother. Discuss the benefits of each for GIMS, develop one key message on direct support and recommend one activity that links to pertinent international documents and/or initiatives (i.e. WHO Global Strategy).

• Mother-to-mother support groups - Rosemary Gauld, RN, RM, IBCLC, LLL South Africa

• Direct care to mothers from the lactation consultants - Sallie Page-Goertz, RN, MN, IBCLC, ILCA, USA

• Health professional to mother - Dr. Raj Anand, ACASH/IBFAN/WABA, India

II. GIMS - Support for Breastfeeding within the context of the Health Care
     System - Rebecca Magalhaes, LLLI/WABA, USA, Facilitator

Using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) process of analysis, look at 4 main times during which breastfeeding is supported: prenatal care, delivery, postpartum and maternal/child illness.  Develop an action and a key message for each time and an activity that links to other pertinent international documents and/or initiatives. 

III. GIMS - Support for the Breastfeeding Woman Who Works Outside the
       Home -Rebecca Magalhaes,  LLLI/WABA, USA, Facilitator

Present and review existing materials that target and support the breastfeeding working woman and recommend three types of materials that are needed.  Following presentations of 9 broad categories of work situations, discuss each one and link 1-3 support measure(s) to each situation and develop a key message for the general topic.

IV. GIMS - Support for Breastfeeding within the Social and Community
      Environment - Rebecca Magalhaes, LLLI/WABA, USA, Facilitator

Present 5 principal parts of a supportive environment: family/friends, media, educational institutions, support groups, and social circles.  Develop a key message for the general topic, and activity that links to other pertinent international documents and/or initiatives and a page of tips for community support for the GIMS web pages.

• Mother support groups - Rosemary Gauld, RN, RM, IBCLC, LLL South Africa

• Social circles - Anne Gaskell, LLLI, UK

• Family and friends: indispensable pillars of support for a breastfeeding mother - Gloria Okemuo, Coordinator of Breastfeeding Awareness Network (BAN), Nigeria. 

• Media - Joan Schubert, LINKAGES, Ghana

• Educational institutions - Iman El Zein El-Salah, MPH-HBE, IBCLC, LABA, Lebanon