Corniche Hospital marks International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) Day

Abu Dhabi 9th March, 2014: Corniche Hospital marked the International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC ) Day on 5th March, 2014 by spreading awareness on the importance of Breastfeeding amongst the mothers at the hospital and the student community.

The hospital which has been recognized by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) for excellence in lactation care in 2013 is the only hospital in the region to have achieved this prestigious recognition.

Speaking on the hospital’s commitment in the breastfeeding initiative, Dr. Mariam Al Mazrouei, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer of Corniche Hospital said that Corniche Hospital has religiously been providing lactation education to mothers for the last three decades.  “As a specialised maternity hospital, we realize the importance of education and employing qualified lactation consultants.  The IBCLC Care Award received last year only demonstrates our dedication in this area.  We are proud of our Lactation staff who have made this honour possible for Corniche Hospital,” she said.

Corniche Hospital received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition for employing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® certification (IBCLC®) and providing  Lactation clinics and Support groups that are available 5-7 days a week for breastfeeding mothers.  In addition, the facility demonstrated the commitment to breastfeeding training for all medical staff, caring for new families, as well as the initiatives that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

“A huge increase in breastfeeding has been noted over the past few years, and with that a need for trained professionals who can help mothers with the practice. Corniche Hospital’s IBCLC professionals are trained experts who know how to work with the entire health care team and help mothers get off to a good start with breastfeeding, and to support them in reaching their goals,” explained Sheri Watkins, Corniche Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer.

To mark the ICBLC Day and promote the breastfeeding practices, the Corniche Hospital Lactation team is giving community lectures during the Health Awareness Day in the Higher Colleges of Technology for Women.

“It is essential that women receive Information about the importance of breast feeding. With our community activities, we try to impart the message that good nutrition from the earliest days of life is extremely important and  how breastfeeding immensely helps the health and wellbeing of both babies and their mothers,” added Gabriela Shaat, IBCLC trained lactation professional at Corniche Hospital.

Corniche Hospital is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.