More information
Description
In the context of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Romania mothers suspected of or diagnosed with COVID-19 are separated at birth from their new-borns, contrary to the recommendations of WHO which emphasize on the importance of breastfeeding. The children of COVID-19 positive mothers are separated from them until the tests show that the mother is healthy. Therefore, breastfeeding for a mother exposed to COVID-19 can be a challenge. “Although WHO supports the possibility that COVID-19 positive mothers still breastfeed, given the infrastructure of the Romanian obstetrics and neonatology departments, as well as the amplitude of the COVID-19 pandemics in Romania, it is recommended that the newborn is separated from the mother and will be fed with special formula”(Source: the recommendations of the Romanian Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology). The new-born is, therefore, deprived of the benefits of brat milk and of the deep bond created during breastfeeding. The mother also goes through difficult times, being separated at birth from her baby.
The project “SAMAS in sickness and in health” aims helping mothers exposed to COVID-19 or in other situations in which they are separated from the baby at childbirth, by providing counsellings to maintain lactation, psychological counsellings and supporting poor mothers with 30 breast pumps. 70 mothers tested COVID-19 positive when they give birth will receive 2 hours of counselling in order to be able to breastfeed after the quarantine period.
Summary of project results
The SAMAS In Sickness And In Health project aimed to support mothers giving birth during the pandemic to benefit from maternal health services, including information and counseling, taking in consideration the fact that mothers which are COVID positive are separated from the baby at birth.During the implementation, an information and education campaign took place in order to reach mothers from all over the country, as well as specialists from maternity hospitals. A dedicated section of the website was created and updated with relevant content for mothers who needed to be informed and to know the methodology present in COVID-19 maternity hospitals. 100 posters and 10,000 flyers were distributed in hospitals and medical offices and pharmacies (21 maternity hospitals and over 50 pharmacies in the country). The flyers were designed with practical information, essential for the beneficiaries of the program, but also for their families.As part of the project, 2 sessions of online courses for the medical staff, a webinar on the methodology implemented in COVID-19 maternities and a round table were organized. The number of participants exceeded the proposed objective, with over 140 medical staff participating and following the events.The support offered directly to mothers through breastfeeding counselors, psychological counselors and the allocation of breast pumps reached 44 beneficiaries, and the education and information of pregnant women and mothers through webinars organized and disseminated on Facebook reached over 2.000 people.Aiming to protect the child''s right to health, the SAMAS Association has contributed through its advocacy component to changing the methodology for birth with COVID-19 according to WHO recommendations and public positions expressed by UNICEF. "A mother diagnosed with COVID-19 should be helped to make skin-to-skin contact with her newborn baby, breastfeed safely, and stay in the same room with him."