A STUDY OF MONITORING & PREPARING AL-HUSSEIN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (PEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT) FOR BECOMING BABY FRIENDLY HOSPITAL

Salem Zayed, Mohammed; Mohamed Rashad, Mahmoud; Mostafa Reda, Sherif; Abdel Aziz Fakher, Osama

doi:10.21608/azjp.2019.70225

A STUDY OF MONITORING & PREPARING AL-HUSSEIN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (PEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT) FOR BECOMING BABY FRIENDLY HOSPITAL

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/azjp.2019.70225

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding is known as the optimal and unique method of infant feeding that result in short and long-term benefits for infants, mothers, families, economy and the entire society. Recommended by international organizations such as WHO and UNICEF. Planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes like BFHI to promote appropriate infant feeding practices require detailed, current information about these practices in the target populations.
Objectives: The aim of this research is to evaluate and prepare Al-Hussein University Hospital (Pediatric department) to attain the designation of baby friendly hospital.
Subjects & Methods: A cross-sectional study (with intervention). The tools used were those developed by the UNICEF and WHO for monitoring Baby Friendly hospitals. The tools included the following: Hospital data sheet, mother interview sheets, staff interview sheet, observation forms, and summary sheet for the ten steps. (Annexes 1-5).
Answers of questionnaires and findings of monitoring forms were obtained from randomly selected 210 mothers having babies less than 6 months old delivered at Al-Hussein UH, and 50 medical staff who joined Pediatric department for 12 months or more. Questionnaires answers collected through 2 visits weekly to the Pediatric department over 6 months. The 1st monitoring reflects the weak points, which were: skin to skin contact with early initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, milk expression, positioning and attachment, the code, giving written information about where mothers can get advice about breastfeeding for follow up and deficient knowledge and practice of the staff. 20- Hours training courses were conducted for the relevant staff in the target areas during the intervention phase, then the post intervention Phase conducted (phase I was repeated) 2 month after the intervention.