Baby-friendly award for Anglia Ruskin University

During the month of April Anglia Ruskin University was awarded a Certificate of Commitment in its first step towards gaining international recognition from the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative for the high levels of training in breastfeeding provided to student midwives on its pre-registration BSc Hons course. The University is the sixth Higher Education Institution nationally to be awarded this Certificate. To date only three Universities hold the full Accreditation.

The Certificate was highlighted by the Dean of the Faculty of Health & Social Care, David Humber at the recent Faculty Away day as a significant achievement for the Department of Child and Family Health.

"We decided to work with the Baby Friendly Initiative to ensure a high standard of training in breastfeeding for all student midwives graduating from this course. We know that many women give up breastfeeding before they want to because of difficulties which could have been prevented if skilled help had been on hand. By ensuring our students midwives graduate with the appropriate skills to assist a mother breastfeed her baby, will ensure more women are able to initiate breastfeeding successfully and breastfeed their babies for longer" commented Martina Donaghy, Senior Midwifery Lecturer & Lactation Consultant.

Martina continued: "Increasing Breastfeeding initiation & maintenance rates are so important as the United Kingdom have the lowest rates in all of Europe. Breastfeeding is a significant public health issue as we know breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy as well as allergies and diabetes in childhood. We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother?s risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis, all key factors that could increase the health of our nation. The Department of Child and Family Health are committed to ensuring our student midwives' understand the significance of their training has on contributing to improving the health of mothers and babies."

The Baby Friendly Initiative, set up by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies.

The Baby Friendly University Award was launched in April, 2008 - the first such award anywhere in the world- by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo, in order to ensure high levels of training in breastfeeding are incorporated in midwifery and health visitor training courses.

The Certificate of Commitment recognises that a university is dedicated to implementing recognised best practice standards in breastfeeding training, and is part way along the road to full Baby Friendly Accreditation. The University plan to apply for Stage Two of the process in June, 2009 and the final assessment which will involve the practical assessment of a proportion of our student midwives by the Baby Friendly team will take place in mid 2010.

The Programme Director for the Baby Friendly Initiative, Sue Ashmore stated she "Was delighted Anglia Ruskin University had received this award." She commented further "Surveys show us that most mothers want to breastfeed but don't always get the support they need. Working towards full Baby Friendly Accreditation means that Anglia Ruskin University is addressing this problem and aiming to ensure more mothers can successfully breastfeed their babies in the future"

For further information please access: www.babyfriendly.org.uk