Hospital to start course on lactation management

To meet the need for lactation consultants in the country, Sion Hospital is starting a fellowship certificate course on Infant Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) that will focus on breastfeeding management.

To meet the need for lactation consultants in the country, Sion Hospital is starting a fellowship certificate course on Infant Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) that will focus on breastfeeding management.

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“There is a great need for lactation experts in the society, especially with the influx of baby food products in the market. Breastfeeding can help reduce child mortality in the state. This course has been designed to fill that gap to a certain extent,” said Dr Yogeshwar Nandanwar, head of obstetrics and gynaecology, Sion Hospital. The course will start in a few months and will be open to all graduate students.

As per a 2003 Lancet study, 13% of the child mortality cases can be prevented if the child is exclusively breastfed for the first six months and continues breastfeeding up to 11 months.

According to the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), Maharashtra needs about 25,000 lactation consultants. There are about 150 consultants in the state. “We have service platforms in Sion, Nair and KEM hospitals. Once the course begins, we will have training platforms to produce more consultants,” said Dr Prashant Gangal, mother support and training coordinator, BPNI.