Campaign to provide infant care rooms in public, private institutions in Sharjah

Sharjah: Private and public institutions will soon provide dedicated rooms at workplaces for mothers who want to take care of their infant children, it was revealed yesterday.

"The project will be launched at the beginning of 2010, and we will visit all the major private and public institutions in Sharjah and emphasise the importance of having a room at the workplace that is dedicated for feeding infants," said a spokesperson of Breastfeeding Friends.

The National Breastfeeding Week begins on November 8. The initiative will be launched by the Health Advisory Board of Breastfeeding Friends in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah.

"At a later date, once the project is underway, we will extend it to other emirates. There needs to be a mother-friendly environment," said the spokesperson, pointing out that the Breastfeeding Society will target government institutions, banks, schools, offices and airline companies.

Dr Sameera Al Hamad, head of Lactation Clinic at Al Qasimi Hospital, said that there are still many challenges in encouraging mothers to breast feed.

"There are cultural beliefs as well as the influence of advertisements that persuade women to think that artificial milk is better for their child. But that is a wrong belief."

Al Qasimi Hospital delivers an average of 400 babies per month, and as of June the hospital has achieved 90.5 per cent success in encouraging mothers to breastfeed their children.

Three languages

Breastfeeding Friends offer a hotline seven days a week from 10am to 10pm, in three different languages.

Arabic 050 5679525

English 050 8684417

Urdu 050 9819270

An awareness stand will be open at Mega Mall on November 12-13 from 5pm to 8pm.