BREASTFEEDING PEER SUPPORT: MALAYSIA S EXPERIENCE BY SITI NORJINAH MOIN PRESIDENT MALAYSIAN BREASTFEEDING ASSOCIATION

Malaysian Breastfeeding Association Founded in 1974, it is a non-profit voluntary organization with advocacy towards the protection, promotion and support breastfeeding. Recognized internationally as a source of accurate information about breastfeeding management. Members are parents, breastfeeding mothers, interested individuals and health professionals such as doctors, lactation consultants and midwives.

OUR MISSION Give mother-to-mother support to pregnant and breastfeeding women. Give all babies their first immunization, the best early start to a better quality and healthy live Become Malaysian s leading source of breastfeeding information and support.

WHY PEER SUPPORT Informed choice for pregnant women and their spouses Encourage breastfeeding during and after birth Support mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies up to 6 months Help them to continue until 2 years or beyond

BREASTFEEDING PEER SUPPORT Encourage and support pregnant women and those who are currently breastfeeding. This include psycho-emotional support, encouragement, education about breastfeeding and help with solving problems.

MISSION STATEMENT Build partnerships for health and breastfeeding to facilitate and support the community to: Motivate them to practice and appreciate health and breastfeeding as a valuable asset Take positive action to further improve and sustain their breastfeeding and health status to enjoy a better quality of live

SMART PARTNERSHIP Forum and Annual Dialogue Session with : - Ministry of Health - Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development - UNICEF and WHO Issues pertaining to breastfeeding are discussed and resolved in this forum

AREAS OF INVOLVEMENT Organizing public awareness campaigns - talks, public forum, exhibitions, walks, etc Supporting health programmes and campaigns of the Ministry of Health at national and state level - Healthy Lifestyle Programme - World Breastfeeding Week - World Diabetes Day - National & International Womens Day

WORKING WITH LOCAL NGOS Diabetic Society Nutrition Society Red Crescent Society Federation of Family Planning Board Malaysian Nursing Board PUSPANITA - Association of Civil Servant Malaysia Heart Foundation Malaysian Consultative Council of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism Malaysian Aids Council National Council Women Organisation Malaysian Trade Union Congress National Union for Bank Employees Malaysian Association for Childcare Providers CancerLink

NETWORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION United Nations Children s Fund World Health Organisation Baby Milk Action World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action International Baby Food Action Network Le Leche League International Australian Breastfeeding Association International Code Documentation Centre Coalition of Breastfeeding Phillippines Breastfeeding Promotion Network India

OUR ACTIVITIES Discussion meeting for mothers Answering telephone counselling Breastfeeding education seminars World Breastfeeding Week activities Conferences for health professionals and breastfeeding advocates. Publication on breastfeeding materials

TRAINING AND COURSES - WHO/UNICEF 40 hours Breastfeeding Counselling Training WHO/UNICEF 20 hours BFHI course Breastfeeding and Lactation Management Course Mother to Mother Peer Support courses and workshop. International Code Training Childbirth Educator Course Birth Doula Training of Trainers Post Partum Training of Trainers Infant Massage : A Training Course International Board of Lactation Consultant Examination (Workshops)

Ministry of Health -Nutrition Division -Division of Family Health and Development -Food Safety Division Partners Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development - Family Planning Division Ministry of Information Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysian Breastfeeding Association Ministry of Education -Division of School and Co-curriculum - Universities and Colleges Trade Unions -Malaysian Trade Union Congress -National Union of Bank Employees Ministry of Defense -Military Hospitals - Family Medical Centers

SUPPORTING ROLE Assessed and trained for BFHI Code of Ethics on Infant Formula Displinary Committee on the Violation of the Code, the National Nutritional Plan of Action

CHOOSING COUNSELLORS Peer Counsellors Criteria: - Must be a breastfeeding mother - Breastfed for at least 9 months - Have good communication skills - Willing to listen and have patience - Willing to volunteer time

STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES Lack of funds as there are no annual grants to run office and pay staffs Lack personnel who can work full time always depending on volunteers who are having full time job with other commitments Depending on project funding (eg: training of Peer Mother Support and World Breastfeeding Week) No incentives to subsidize or allocate allowance for counsellors to support breastfeeding mothers (eg: telephone bills, transportation etc).

STRENGTHS OF BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUPS Dedicated personnel and volunteers who are committed and knowledgeable about breastfeeding They have good networking with health professionnels, the community and private sector

HOW SUSTAIN MOTHER SUPPORT Encourage young adults to go on the internet (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs) for breastfeeding information To propose relevant agencies to allocate annual grant Grant for tax exemption so that corporate agencies can fund projects Fund raising projects to generate sufficient fund to continue breastfeeding work Encourage govt and private sectors to have childcare facilities with trained breastfeeding counsellors Proposing all states DOH and partners to cooperate and organize Breastfeeding Awareness Month by rotation. On-going training for peer mother support groups

Working Mothers and Breastfeeding

World Breastfeeding Week

Publication Materials

FUTURE AREAS OF COOPERATION Advocacy and development of breastfeeding public policy eg. buildings and public areas Encourage the govt to rectify the ILO Convention Resolution on 2 hourly breastfeeding break Provision of support service at workplace Maternity protection adopt more maternity leave for the private sector Mobilizing community action to protect breastfeeding Developing, pre-testing and distribution of breastfeeding educational materials for MOE. Focusing on youth and young adults Conducting research and evaluating breastfeeding campaigns

THANK YOU