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Roles of a Public Health Nurse
"Breastfeeding: An Outdated Practice or an Updated Trend?"
What have nurses been doing in promoting breastfeeding?
Nurses in the MCHCs and those on the Breastfeeding Hotline are in the best position to offer help to lactating mothers as they have direct contact with them.
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In the MCHCs |
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Antenatal Breastfeeding Workshop |
Breastfeeding promotion workshops are run for antenatal mothers and their family members. In these workshops, nurses facilitate the participants to learn about the advantages of breastfeeding and the risks of artificial feeding, as well as the possible problems and the kind of support that are available. It is aimed to help parents make the optimal choice for their babies. As breastfeeding is a family matter, nurses will not miss a chance to educate the family members as well, so that they can provide support for the breastfeeding mothers.
During postnatal sessions, nurses will coach mothers on breastfeeding techniques and provide counseling when needed. Breastfeeding is a learnt art. The baby has to learn to latch and the mother has to learn how to position the baby. Once the mother and baby master the skills, they both share the joy of this loving process. According to WHO's recommendation, breastfeeding is to be sustained as long as the mother and baby want up to 2 years or above. Hence, nurses in MCHCs are always ready to discuss with mothers and to work with them to solve problems arising from breastfeeding.
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Postnatal Breastfeeding Support Group | |
Breastfeeding Support Group | | |
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| 2. |
Breastfeeding Hotline |
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One may query the effectiveness of helping clients solve breastfeeding problems via the phone. Having been a nurse manning the breastfeeding hotline, I have the following views: |
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| a. |
The nurse needs to have a thorough understanding of breastfeeding, good communication skills, precise questioning technique, critical thinking and analytic power to be able to assess the clients' needs accurately and to offer the appropriate help. |
| b. |
Effective counseling skills, including active listening skills, empathetic and sincere attitudes are crucial in helping and empowering the client to identify problems, make decisions and take actions appropriately and confidently. |
| c. |
Most of the clients express warm gratitude for the practical suggestions that the nurse makes. As their babies grow older, the clients may find breastfeeding less and less a problem. Nevertheless, every now and then, many clients may phone back to clarify doubts, or just want to have a chat with the nurse. It is through these causal conversations that the nurse is able to identify the clients' worries or obstacles they face when they encountered with the public or people around them. Hence, appropriate and timely support can be elicited to booster the mothers' morale and affirm their efforts to continue breastfeeding. Although the client and the nurse have never met each other, their relationship is extremely close. | |
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Through the mass media |
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As the mass media are powerful means for publicity, our Department has started to promote breastfeeding proactively via the mass media since 2002. It is intended to arouse the public's awareness of the practice and to create a baby-friendly society for breastfeeding mothers and babies. Hence, promotion through the mass media has becomes part of my work. As a LC, I am delighted to take up the responsibility, because this is a good opportunity to make breastfeeding known to more people. I had been interviewed by various media including newspapers, magazines, radio and television. I also held press conferences. Facing the mass media is both challenging and frightening, however, my belief that I can dispel myths about breastfeeding and deliver correct breastfeeding information to the public gives me courage to continue with my work in breastfeeding promotion. | |