Suggested improvements in the content of health education |
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• Explain the underlying physiology, rationale and principles of exclusive breastfeeding including: |
◦ No need for water |
◦ Breast milk production increases by frequent suckling and decreases with less frequent suckling |
◦ 'Crying baby' is not necessarily a sign of insufficient feeding, not necessary to give complementary food |
◦ Explain the potential vicious cycle of perceived breast milk insufficiency |
• Highlight and explain the dangers of mixed feeding compared to exclusive breastfeeding |
• Discuss the issue of 'bad milk' openly and explain that it does not exist |
• Focus on HIV/AIDS and comprehend the participant's fear of stigma |
• Encourage already good practices |
Suggested ways to implement the recommendations |
• Use the health personnel and the TBAs, as they are very much trusted in the community |
• Improve the training received by the health personnel and TBAs about: |
◦ the dangers of mixed feeding, highlighting the importance of explaining this to the mothers |
◦ HIV/AIDS and infant feeding |
• Increase health education and include the whole community, including fathers, mothers/mothers-in-law and other influential people (i.e. the woman's family) in the education sessions |
◦ Use of role models, e.g. mothers who have succeeded with EBF, to educate other mothers |
◦ Use many channels and integrate them into other programmes (school teaching, radio, newspapers, etc.) |
• Closer follow-up of EBF, for instance by peer-supporters for EBF or by further development and expansion of the exclusive breastfeeding support groups |