The first week of august is 'Breastfeeding Week' and what better way to celebrate this day, increase awareness about breastfeeding and pledge its importance than to create a solid support system for moms in Lebanon! Therefore, this guest post - by Nadiya Dragan El Chiti, a breastfeeding activist certified from the WHO in “Exclusive Breastfeeding" - is much needed!
' Since beginning of 2011 when I started working in Lebanon as a breastfeeding specialist many things have changed: the awareness about breastfeeding has increased greatly, many hospitals are currently working on receiving a title of “baby-friendly” (which means “breastfeeding-friendly), there are lactation courses offered to medical professionals, the new City Center mall being built right now will have a breastfeeding area for its customers, there was even a TV ad released recently to promote breastfeeding! And my favorite change of all is that now we have several groups in Lebanon that offer free mother-to-mother breastfeeding support and encouragement, about which I will gladly tell you in this article! '
' Since beginning of 2011 when I started working in Lebanon as a breastfeeding specialist many things have changed: the awareness about breastfeeding has increased greatly, many hospitals are currently working on receiving a title of “baby-friendly” (which means “breastfeeding-friendly), there are lactation courses offered to medical professionals, the new City Center mall being built right now will have a breastfeeding area for its customers, there was even a TV ad released recently to promote breastfeeding! And my favorite change of all is that now we have several groups in Lebanon that offer free mother-to-mother breastfeeding support and encouragement, about which I will gladly tell you in this article! '
La
Leche League International is now in Lebanon
 |
| LLLI |
La Leche League International (LLLI) is the oldest
and most reputable breastfeeding support organization around the world. For
more than 50 years this organization has been growing and offering free of
charge breastfeeding help and most up-to-date information on breastfeeding all
over the world (see www.llli.org). The unique aspect of this organization is
that it is run by volunteering mothers! Women who have successfully breastfed
for about a year and have the passion to support other breastfeeding moms can
apply for leadership and start representing LLLI in their area/country. Once
accredited a new leader will start her own group in the area where she lives
and will have monthly meetings for mothers in her area to attend. A leader is
also trained to give free consultations on different breastfeeding topics to
mothers who need help.
Now we have LLLI represented in Lebanon! You can
join their facebook group “La Leche League, Lebanon, Middle East” and see when and
where the next monthly meeting will be held in Lebanon! All the meetings are
free of charge and are informal gatherings of breastfeeding moms where
attendants bring their babies and freely discuss different breastfeeding
questions and share their experiences with each other! You can also email the
leader in Lebanon via askLLLinLebanon@gmail.com
if you have a particular question in breastfeeding you would like to discuss.
Mama-to-Mama
Beirut Breastfeeding Support group
This is another
opportunity for face-to-face meetings for breastfeeding moms in Lebanon free of
charge. This group is run by Tamara Drenttel Brand, MA, MPH, a newly accredited
lactation educator counselor, and a mother of an adorable fully breastfed 11
month old baby boy! The group meets bimonthly and you can join their FB page
“Mama to Mama Beirut Breastfeeding Support” to follow the discussions of the members and see when and
where the next meeting will be held. You can also reach Tamara directly via mama2mamabeirut@gmail.com
or 70/998062.
Facebook
Breastfeeding Groups in Lebanon
So there is Tamara’s “Mama to Mama Beirut” and
there is mine – “Breastfeeding in Lebanon” with more than 260 members at the
moment. Both groups offer a safe space for mothers to discuss their current
problems and questions in breastfeeding as well as share their frustrations and
achievements while mastering this beautiful art of mothering –
breastfeeding. Tamara and me monitor the
discussions on the groups and contribute to them with our knowledge as
breastfeeding counselors. We also constantly put links of new research findings
in breastfeeding and share breastfeeding news from around the world.
Breastfeeding
Peer Counselors in Lebanon
 |
| Breastfeeding Peer Counselors will support your choice of breastfeeding |
This is the most recent and most exciting
advancement Lebanon has made this year in the field of mother-to-mother support
– 7 passionate breastfeeding moms in Lebanon have volunteered to take the
course on peer counseling offered by Tamara Drenttel Brand through AUB, and now
are ready to offer free breastfeeding mother-to-mother support in their areas! Breastfeeding Peer Counselors are volunteers with personal
breastfeeding experience who are trained to help mothers breastfeed by offering
support, education & encouragement.
Contact info of all the counselors!
Please feel free to contact
any of them if you have questions about breastfeeding or need some support and
encouragement to continue breastfeeding! Our breastfeeding peer counselors are
waiting to hear from you!
Hayat Karanouh Naboulsi
(Beirut)
Phone: 03/33 37 36, Email: hayatkaranouh@gmail.com
Languages: Arabic, French & English
Sinead O'Dea
(Beirut)
Phone: 76/121929, Email: sineadodea@hotmail.com Languages: English & Spanish
Farah Barbir Ounsi
(Beirut)
Phone: 03/631776, Email: farah.barbir@gmail.com
Languages: Arabic, English & Some French
Brooke El-Amine
(Ras Beirut)
Phone: 70/113051 Language: English |
Elizabeth Abi Khalil
(Jbeil, Jounieh &
Batroun)
Phone: 03/187683, Email: Elizabeth.abikhalil@gmail.com
Languages: Arabic, French & English
Angela Bonifacio
(Fanar)
Phone: 70/247 747, Email: lala_bon@yahoo.it
Languages: English, French, Spanish &
Italian
Carole
Bourjeily Bou Habib
(Horsh Tabet & Sin
El Fil)
Phone:
03/799177, Email: carole@iforinterior.com
Languages:
Arabic, French & English
|
Breastfeeding is the most
beautiful gift a mother can give to her baby and herself! Now we have so many
mother-to-mother support opportunities in Lebanon! Help, advice and an
encouraging word is just a phone call away and at the tips of your fingers on
Facebook! We are waiting to hear from you, ladies!
Guest
post by Nadiya Dragan El-Chiti
Nadiya
Dragan El-Chiti is a graduate from the University of Maine, Orono (USA), with
Master’s Degree in Communication and a certificate from World Vision in
coordination with WHO for accomplishing an intensive training in “Exclusive
Breastfeeding”. In 2009 after giving birth in Lebanon and starting to nurse her
own daughter. Mrs.Nadiya developed a great passion in breastfeeding and decided
to start on a new path as a breastfeeding activist spreading the knowledge
about this beautiful way of mothering to
all the Lebanese women around. It started as a small informal gathering with friends one winter evening and turned
into a series of monthly seminars – intensive programs of several hours each
intended for pregnant mothers and anyone interested in breastfeeding providing
all the essentials tips and practical techniques to ensure that every mother in
Lebanon can have a successful and enjoyable experience. In addition, Mrs. Nadiya
also provides personal support and assistance to mothers who already gave birth
and are facing challenges in breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding
is simple and natural, but only if the mother knew how to do it and what to
expect.
* This post is published in Moms and to Be magazine - June, issue 42 [Republishing authorized by Nadiya Dragan El-Chiti]
