Baby-friendly award for University's undergraduate midwifery programme
13 Sep 2016
Awarded the prestigious Baby Friendly Award by UNICEF UK for the high levels of education and skill development in breastfeeding support provided to students on its midwifery programme
The award was presented to the University’s staff and students by Francesca Entwistle, Baby Friendly Initiative Professional Officer at UNICEF, as the final year students celebrated the completion of their demanding programme.
"We decided to work with the Baby Friendly Initiative to ensure a high standard of education and skill development in breastfeeding support for all the midwifery students graduating from this course,” said Alison Busby, Senior Lecturer at the University’s School of Health Sciences and the BFI Accreditation Project Lead.
“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 that our students are fully prepared to offer expert help to any mother choosing to breastfeed her child, more women will be able to breastfeed their babies for longer.”
Alison Busby continued: "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 as well as being cheaper and less hassle than bottle feeding.”
“However a mother chooses to feed her baby, our graduate midwives will be committed to supporting her to form a strong loving relationship with her newborn – by helping her have skin-to-skin contact with her baby following the birth and by helping her understand how her baby communicates with her and needs her to respond.”
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. In the UK, the initiative works with UK public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships. Support for these relationships is important for all babies, not only those who are breastfed.
The Baby Friendly University Award was launched in the UK in 2008 – the first such award anywhere in the world, in order to ensure high levels of training in breastfeeding are incorporated in midwifery and health visitor training courses. The University Award recognises that a university has implemented best practice in breastfeeding training, and has passed a thorough external assessment by UNICEF UK staff.
"We are delighted that The University of Manchester’s Midwifery programme has received this award,” said Baby Friendly Initiative Programme Director Sue Ashmore. “Surveys show us that most mothers want to breastfeed but don’t always get the support they need. Becoming Baby Friendly Accredited means that The University of Manchester is addressing this problem and aiming to ensure more mothers can successfully breastfeed their babies in future.”