UPDATE FROM ASIBI – 19th JUNE 2012

2011 WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK was celebrated at the Abuja Municipal Area Council on the 11th August, 2011.

It was coordnated by the nutrition department of the Primary Health Care. Invitation letters were sent out to all the health care facilities where ANC, DELIVERIES and POSTNATAL services are rendered, requesting them to send at least five mothers and babies who were supervised practiced exclussive breastfeeding for “BABY SHOW”. In attendants were health care providers; Doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacist, Traditional birth attendants, gentlemen of the press etc.

Traditional rulers, christians and islamic leaders were among our special guest. The advantage of involving them is to ensure that they have the knowledge, accept it so that they can further preach it to their local assembly to promote breastfeeding. One of the traditional ruler in attendants when interviewed remarked that the programm should be retittled “BREASTFEEDING SHOW” AND NOT “BABY SHOW” because he believe we are gathered to celebrate and show case breastfeeding, the effect of which is evident in the babies presented. That made sense to all. We were excited about his perception and involvement.

I was invited and participated as one of the panel of judges. Wa ooo!!!! Very Interesting.

Among other activities were the presentation of the babies for assessement; babies were presented undressed with their immunization cards to monitor their growth records and compare it to their state of heath. Mothers were asked questions to determine how much knowledge of breastfeeding they have, time of breastfeeding initiation, duration etc. It was also targetted at addressing moms individual issues/challenges, the perfomances of the health facilities as regards breastfeeding education and implementation was also evaluated and communicated to them.

We finally came up with the first three participants and gift were presented to them. All the babies went home with a package.

Asibi Onyioza.

ILCA Partnership Programme with Asibi Onyioza IBCLC in Nigeria

I resumed back to work January 2nd 2009. I tendered my new certificates (IBCLC and ALSO instructor courses) to my hospital management and they so much appreciate the efforts by sending an official memo to congratulate me. Work began since then. I am coordinating the ANC, Post Natal which includes mothers from the Special Care Baby Unit and staff training.

I have started redeveloping the ANC Health talks with evidence based topics/facts from IBCLC point of view. These are being developed into Power Points which is being projected during the ANC classes.

Among the health talk modification is the projection of the vedio cassettes I ordered for on breastfeeding techniques – First attachment, Problems associated with Breastfeeding etc through Sister Beryl Wheeler IBCLC when I was in Kigali (Rwanda).They really enjoyed it all.

FIT to BUST (Courtesy of LCGB – A comic treasure chest) is on the time table where I read out some exciting topic to the expectant mothers during the talk. It has really added life, funs and values to the mothers, staff and the presentation as a whole. More than Ten post natal mothers have collected the book, read it digested it and came back with testimonies of how it has improved and enlightened their breastfeeding knowledge on a very lighter mood. Alison you are divinely gifted. May the Lord bless abundantly. I will make detail comment about the book when I get written response from my moms who have read it.

To my beloved neonates in the Special care baby unit. I return the Glory to our Lord Jesus. All mothers are educated on the proper ways of hand expressing their breastmilk and to few who could not I used the Hospital Grade Breastpump donated to me by Sister Beryl Wheeler my IBCLC cordinator in Rwanda. She is now in Austratlia.

I introduced Kangaroo Mother Care and the picture shown is the first to be used and the baby’s parents named her after me. Her name is ASIBI junior. I will send other picture to you later. it is very slow attaching picture. I made this materials seen on the photos while in Kigali. The hospital has purchased some materials and have now made more for the SCBU. These mothers have direct access to my phone numbers and they call in at alltime to say please I have ABC problems with my baby. Come to the clinic now. I have tried but can not express enough milk for my baby in SCBU and I leave immediately for the clinic.

My Darling and Beloved ones it is not easy. Have to teach the mothers and the midwives as regards current Breastfeeding practices. It is always from wards to lecture rooms. The Obstetricians and Paediatricians calls me left and right. My sisters, I have no co-IBCLC, and I sometime refer to my books as colleagues. And continue to read the books at home.

I have been sharing the knowledge at both Nurses and Doctors forum.

The Head of Clinical Services had given me a day every Wednesday morning 8am to 9am for my presentation to all the clinical staff, and Nurses presentation is thrice a week.

The cases often seen are:
Abnormal niples like flat, inverted, fibrotic and sore niples.
Mothers unwilling to breastfeed especially the First Timers for social reasons. “I don’t want to lose the shape of my breasts,” “I will not be able to cope when I start to go to work after maternity leave,” ” My grandmother and mother-in-law told me to give prelateal feeds.” These among others are the challenges. Though with education, some of them have really changed their wrong perception but few can still be stubborn and no amount of teachings will immediately change them except you give them time.

I have had a case of Cleft Lip and 3 cases of Tongue Tie. Find attached the picture of the Cleft Lip.

Another picture is a statue in a district hospital here in Abuja, the Federal Capital.

I have not been able to take IBCLC out of my workplace because of the tight schedule, how it is my goal to do that as the people at the secondary and primary care centers are at disadvantage.The nation as a whole have no know of IBCLC but they support Breastfeeding and some District Hospital are babyfriendly accredited.

I am also sharing my ALSO knowledge with my colleagues. I got the manikin from the US.

My Love to all LCGB. You are always in my heart but just too busy that I don’t get close to emails. I do spot check of my emails, promised to reply and failed. Do accept my apology. I will send more information later.

Always remember that Asibi will ever leave to remember you people’s contributions to my career. I am an IBCLC today because of your tireless support.

PLEASE MY BIRTHDAY IS TODAY! (21st March)

ESEE PUPO from Nigeria
Asibi
with minor editing for ease of reading by Alison Blenkinsop