The Infant Feeding Counsellor (IFC) project involves the training and appointment of 36 breastfeeding counsellors through the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), at City Clinics, to assist with breastfeeding promotion efforts. Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg was joined by the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross and several city councillors, during an oversight visit at the Delft South Clinic on Monday.

The EPWP recruits are assisting the City's Health initiative where women are trained to offer advice and support to pregnant women and new mothers around child feeding and antenatal care. Expansion of these resources in the City has been identified as an urgent need, to improve the rate of breastfeeding.

The project aims to create 36 EPWP work opportunities at clinics throughout the city. The total budget for the project is R1,8 million.

Once the participants have completed their training, they will facilitate peer to peer education to pregnant women and postnatal mothers and/or caregivers during their clinic visits.

Apart from education and awareness around the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, the counsellors will also:

• Help with resolving breastfeeding problems

• Observe for correct positioning and attachment during feeding

• Provide additional support for small and sick babies including Kangaroo Mother Care (skin to skin contact) during clinic visits

• Support the non-breastfeeding mothers to ensure safe preparation of infant formula at home

'In this project, the EPWP recruits are providing support and education to new mothers, while also providing support to economically marginalised residents. This is a great example of how the EPWP can provide much more than just income support to the unemployed. The training and mentoring that participants are receiving will help them become agents of positive change in their communities, that will continue to improve community health once the project has run its course,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.

Research has shown that breast milk acts as a natural vaccine against infections, allergies and diarrhoea, among others.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, and continued breastfeeding until children are two or older.

Currently, the rate of children being fed exclusively by breastfeeding in Cape Town is around 50% - the national target is 55%.

'We have made progress in our drive to promote exclusive breastfeeding. A survey in 2017 showed that our breastfeeding rate was at 40% - five years later, we are at 50%, so we are moving in the right direction, but there is more work to be done. We are confident that this project will push us closer to the national target, and even beyond. However, even if women are willing and able to breastfeed exclusively, it is up to us to ensure that we create conducive environments, particularly in the workplace. Mothers need time, and safe spaces where they can express breast milk during the workday, and many switch to formula, simply because these spaces do not exist. If we are to meet our target, but more importantly, advance the health of children in general, it requires a whole of society approach,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.

Source: City Of Cape Town