World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated at Govt Medical College Baramulla.

A week long World Breastfeeding Week started from 1st of August with the aim to educate and sensitize different stakeholders regarding the cardinal importance of Mothers Milk for the health of the young infant. The day one marked with a brief presentation by the department of pediatrics wherein Dr Aliya Kachroo delivered a comprehensive lecture sensitizing the staff: Medical Officers, Staff Nurses, ASHAs, on the importance of early and exclusive Breastfeeding for the normal and C Section deliveries. The nursing staff would then eventually provide counselling support and information to the mothers for breastfeeding. On second day, the counsellors went from bed to bed in the post op ward of OBG desiminating and educating the mothers on the importance of Mothers Milk for infant. The key message delivered were: early initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth preferably within one hour; breastmilk alone is the best food and drink for an infant for the first six months of life. The third day continued with other aspects intertwined with the Breastfeeding of the infants wherein the "MAA"- Mother's Absolute Affection programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was discussed and deliberated. The programme has been named ‘MAA’ to signify the support a lactating mother requires from family members and at health facilities to breastfeed successfully. The discussion continued focusing on the Goals, objectives and components of the MAA. The other aspects and sub themes of the Breastfeeding shall be continued for rest of the week with aim for capacity building and orientation of the health care workers.