Description
The project aims to establish an optimal environment for supporting breastfeeding with the cooperation of key stakeholders. The project aims to identify the social, economic, cultural and other determinants of breastfeeding practices among women in Cyprus through research. Based on the results and with the co-operation of key stakeholders educational activities, an awareness campaign will be organized tackling the areas of weakness. The networking and civic engagement activities will aim to disseminate results and achieve sustainable impact of the actions on the community as a whole with special attention to vulnerable and under serviced groups. The partners play complimentary roles in this partnership, the first as an NGO with years of experience in community work and the second as an academic establishment with research knowledge and a crucial role in educating the health professionals.
Summary of project results
The visibility of the benefits of breastfeeding and the support that mothers need in order to start and continue breastfeeding for longer, grew enormously. The survey carried out by the CUT, which investigated mothers who breastfeed their babies 48 hours, one month, 4 months and 6 months after birth, was innovative for Cyprus, as no previous study of this magnitude was carried out before. The survey showed that although the percentage of mothers breastfeeding in the first 48 hours after birth was around 80%, numbers drop dramatically one month after birth to 43% and to no more than 13% 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the survey investigated the implementation of the10 steps for successful breastfeeding and identified percentages for each of the 10 steps, showing that there is lack of knowledge regarding their implementation, as well as lack of policy in its promotion. It also showed very low percentages in all fields that were investigated, both in terms of percentages of breastfeeding, as well as the implementation of the 10 steps, in the districts of Larnaca and Paphos. Moreover, there is a lower level of access to information in mothers who live in more remote areas. The parents’ meetings and seminars gave valuable information for new parents by promoting successful breastfeeding. The results of the survey were disseminated to health professionals in special seminar / training workshops that were organised. The stakeholder’s meeting gave the opportunity to bodies involved in breastfeeding, such as the Ministry of Health, Professional Associations and NGOs, to discuss ways of raising awareness. The two Synchronized Breastfeeding events managed to empower the idea and the promotion of breastfeeding and its benefits, with a growing participation each year, both of mothers breastfeeding their babies, as well as fathers and other members of the family environment of the baby. These events, as well as press releases and press conference on the final results, have received a high coverage by the Mass Media, making the work of BrEaST and the CBA known to the public. Events organised both for parents and for health professionals in English, with simultaneous translation in Greek and Turkish. The project enjoys the support of the Ministry of Health National Breastfeeding Committee, which has supported all the main events organised and has included presentations of the results and dissemination of the products in its conference on the 8th of October 2015.
Summary of bilateral results