HAAD is Keen to Increase Number of ‘Baby-Friendly’ Hospitals in Abu Dhabi

This announcement is part of the ‘Enaya’ breastfeeding campaign that HAAD recently launched to increase the number of mothers who choose to breastfeed their babies, by providing them with the necessary support from the moment their child is born. Dr. Omniyat AL Hajeri, Director of Public Health and Research at HAAD said: “HAAD is keen to provide an environment that supports mothers to breastfeed their babies. Hospitals provide mothers with the greatest level of care, attention and support—before and after the birth of the baby. Therefore, there is no better place than hospitals to adopt this mission to support breastfeeding by educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, and supporting them with easy access to lactation consultants and experts around the clock.”

HAAD commissioned a survey to assess the status of baby-friendly hospitals and identify the number of lactation consultants employed by all maternity hospitals in the Emirate. According to this survey, five SEHA hospitals are already ‘baby-friendly’ hospitals. HAAD also organized a number of meetings with hospitals to encourage greater participation in this initiative. Dr. Fayeza Naser, Deputy CEO of Corniche Hospital confirmed on the importance of mother’s commitment to continue breastfeed, mentioning that the hospital is offering breastfeeding lessons for mothers since the last three decades. As a specialist hospital in childbirth, we relieve the importance of education and the availability of qualified experts of lactation consultants in order to help mothers to continue breastfeeding, teach them breastfeeding tips, overcome breastfeeding challenges and help them to achieve their goals. Dr Fayeza added, “breastfeeding support mothers group meet once every week at the parent education center at the hospital that offers a free of charge lessons for Corniche patients. Corniche Hospital has been recognized by the International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) for excellence in breastfeeding care in 2013, where it is the only hospital in the region that has achieved this significant recognition.

Through the baby-friendly hospital initiative, HAAD is encouraging all maternity hospitals to implement the ‘Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding’ guideline. It stipulates that every facility providing maternity services and care for new-borns should:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff.
2. Train all healthcare staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
6. Give new-borns no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practise rooming-in —that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together— 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

The HAAD Enaya program was launched in 2013 with an aim to increase community and parental awareness on maternal and child health, beginning with pre-conception visits and adequate folic acid intake, to healthy nutrition and the importance of exercise during pregnancy. In addition, the program addresses the importance of breastfeeding, newborn screening tests and vaccinations, preconception and antenatal care, as well as child visits.