A midwife uses personal experience to influence mothers to breastfeed and express breastmilk in Cha Chhouk Health Centre
In the heart of Siem Reap's Pouk district lies the Char Chouk Health Centre, a crucial lifeline for 19 villages in two communes – Char Chhouk and Kdey Run. Here, Channara Chout, a 32-year-old midwife, works tirelessly to provide maternal and child health support to the local community.
Channara is not just any midwife; she is a lead trainer for early childhood care development, and her work has touched the lives of countless mothers and children. Today, as she sits in a bustling cafeteria at Angkor Chum Referral Hospital for training, she reflects on her journey as a first-time mother.
"I feel so sad for my first baby that I breastfed her for only three months because I had no experience caring for a baby," said 32-year-old Channara with a disappointed face, adding, "I felt that it could be tough to continue to provide breastmilk; I had to work at Char Chouk health centre which is about 60 km away from home. I have to ride a motorbike for 3 hours every day."
Channara's experience is common for parents in Cambodia, which is one of the primary reasons for the declining trends in breastfeeding. Many mothers face obstacles such as a lack of breastfeeding support and limited access to lactation resources, making it challenging to provide their children with the necessary nourishment. But Channara was not ready to give up breastfeeding for her second child. Over the months, she has become a vocal advocate for breastfeeding, using her experiences to educate and inspire other mothers.
Her second daughter was born two and a half years after her first; this time, she was determined to do things differently. She attended training sessions on "Breastfeeding Promotion" conducted by the National Maternal Child Health Centre (NMCHC), facilitated by World Vision International Cambodia (WVI-C) at the Siem Reap referral hospital, where she learned how to express breastmilk, store it properly and cup-fed and breast condition. Not only Channara but also all midwives of Cha Chhouk Health Centre have been trained in breastfeeding promotion, and they cascaded the training to the community health workers (village health support group members) in their target villages to support post-partum mothers who face difficulties in breastfeeding their new-born infants. Among the 08 health centres which were part of the implementation research project, Cha Chhouk Health Centre is a remarkably good health centre that has been promoting and supporting breastfeeding in terms of good ante-natal and post-natal care, promotion of skin-to-skin contact and early initiation of breastfeeding, there is an increased number of pregnant women delivering their new-borns in this health centres.
Channara successfully provided her second daughter with six months of exclusive breastmilk. During her maternity leave, she engaged in direct breastfeeding for three months, and upon returning to work at Char Chhouk Health Centre, she continued feeding her daughter with expressed breastmilk for another three months. Within the first 3 months, she was on maternity leave, so she breastfed her baby at home. In the following 3 months, she worked far away from her baby, leaving her baby at home in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon. During those months, she expressed her breastmilk and stored it appropriately at home. She took help from her mother to feed the baby during the daytime.
The results were remarkable. Channara's commitment to breastfeeding and expressing breastmilk while working away from her baby allowed her to provide the best nutrition for her daughter, resulting in a healthy start to life free from respiratory issues. Her dedication and support from her mother exemplify the importance of maternal care and breastfeeding in ensuring the well-being of infants.
"My second baby, who received breastmilk, had lower health issues with a cold or fever and recovered early. But for my first baby, whenever she fell sick, she experienced difficulty breathing immediately. She had hyperthyroidism. Seeing this experience, I committed myself to breastfeeding, if not for too long, at least exclusively for 6 months," said Channara.
Today, Channara serves as a source of inspiration and support for other mothers in the community, offering guidance, encouragement, and practical advice on breastfeeding and child care and highlighting the adverse effects of commercial infant formula.
"For every mother, the love for their child is a point; therefore, we bring their child's health [as a topic] to inform them that if you provide your child with breastmilk, your child can grow well both physically and mentally, have the ability to fight against diseases, and recover early, and we explain the negative benefits of commercial infant formula," she said.
Through her tireless work, Channara has become a symbol of hope for mothers and children in Siem Reap province. She envisions a world where all children receive the benefits of breastmilk and where mothers are empowered to provide their children with the best possible start in life. She is committed to advocating for breastfeeding awareness and support within her community.
By: Sokhim Yav and Munint Mak