Real lives

Real Lives

Real Lives

This morning Sapargul Berdyeva, 32, safely delivered her third child just few hours ago. Still weak and physically exhausted of labors, her eyes shining with happiness explicitly expressed her emotions better than words. Sapargul is motherly comfortable simply because she is able to cuddle up and breastfeed her new born son. A little baby boy, in his turn, also seems to be content to rooming-in with his caring mother, be able to suck as much breastmilk as is in his demand and explore yet unknown external world by the help of his mother. Sapargul shared that she will name her new-born son, Janguly, after her father-in-law as generally accepted in many Turkmen families.

Little Janguly is luckier than his elder siblings because he was born in a baby friendly environment. Three years ago Magtymguly etrap hospital of Balkan velayat got a status of baby-friendly hospital. This status calls for protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding by enabling every mother and family to adopt and sustain the behaviours and practices necessary to give every child the best start in life. As was described by Ms. Annaeva, the midwife with a 20-year long service, since that time the hospital has undergone tangible changes. She noted that these changes made an enourmous impact on community as a whole and medical staff working at the MCH facility.

“This is because the concept of baby-friendly hospital does not require huge infrastructural changes in the first place. Success of this initiative greatly depends on commitment of the medical staff, their patience and understanding of numerous benefits of breastfeeding that baby-friendly environment can offer to the community members, such as reduction of diarrhea and ARI cases”, explained Ms. Annaeva.

With support of UNICEF programmes Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative has expanded throughout Turkmenistan. Due to strong political will, the Government of Turkmenistan has committed to ensure that all national MCH facilities be certified as baby friendly. For this commitment to become true, UNICEF supported the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry in strengthening the capacity of medical specialists at all levels in full implementation of ten universal steps to become baby friendly and their implementation in practice. At a policy level, this pledge is enforced by the National Programme on Protection and Support of Breastfeeding, which serves as a result of UNICEF’s continuous advocacy to ensure better child survival and development right from the start of life.

Joint efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan and UNICEF demonstrate that ‘baby friendliness’ matters. To date, 94 % MCH facilities have been certified as baby-friendly hospitals. Such a high indicator gives assurance that in the very nearest future, the coverage of baby friendly hospital initiative achieves its maximum. Now, when the colossal work seems to be behind, it is delightful to celebrate victory over past strict postnatal regime that was believed to benefit both mother and child.

Experienced midwife Annaeva recalls, “Old set of guidelines such as separate rooming of mother and child, late and time-bound breastfeeding, early introduction of breastmilk substitutes and adding glucose solution to a baby’s diet apparently contradicted natural conditions of child rearing.”

Maternity care personnel of Magtymguly etrap hospital are enthusiastic about having newborns in their MCH facility and strive for making this short but essential stay in the hospital friendly to infants and their mothers. During three day period, young mothers will be exposed to critical breastfeeding and care-giving concepts that will empower women to handle responsibilities and joy of being a mother.

After a short talk with Sapargul, there is no difficulty in understanding that this young woman not only looks mature and confident because she is a mother of three but, most importantly, because she has knowledge and skills to give the best start to her son and to enjoy her motherhood.

“Doctors told me that early and exclusive breastfeeding has multiple benefits to my son. It makes him healthy and protects from infections, as well as makes him feel loved and cared for. It was also interesting for me to know that early breastfeeding helps my body to adjust and recover after delivery”, assertively informed Sapargul.

At this moment, tiny Janguly starts requesting his mother’s attention by demandingly crying. Sapargul immediately takes her child in hands to calm him and breastfeed.