Awareness Sessions for Pregnant and Lactating Women and Women in Reproductive Age in Syria
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
The Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, continues raising awareness among pregnant and lactating women about the importance of breastfeeding and the correct way to care for infants.
This is being done through holding health and Psychosocial sessions for pregnant and lactating mothers in three governorates: Damascus and its countryside, Aleppo, and Dara’a.
These sessions shed light on all aspects related to breastfeeding, the difficulties mothers face with breastfeeding, and clarification of some misconceptions. They also addressed complementary feeding for infants, maternal nutrition, and dietary practices when the child is ill.
As for the Psychosocial support sessions, they introduced women to the importance of self-care, support skills, building confidence, understanding children’s opinions and emotions, developmental characteristics from ages 0-6 years, and effective communication with children.
During the sessions, Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurements were also taken for mothers to ensure they are not suffering from malnutrition. Additionally, specialists followed up with mothers in individual counseling sessions, providing them with advice and answering their questions regarding infant nutrition and proper care. During these individual sessions, the specialist also measured the Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) of the children.
At the end of the course, each of the 580 participants, received two hygiene kits and two mother-and-child kits containing essential hygiene materials for personal care for both the mother and the child.
Similarly, the Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) also conducted health and Psychosocial awareness sessions for Women in reproductive age from the governorates of Damascus and its countryside, Aleppo, and Dara’a.
The number of participants in these sessions reached 1,250 women, and the sessions lasted for 6 days, divided between health awareness sessions where women learned about the most common diseases, their causes, treatments, and methods of prevention, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, cholera, high blood pressure, diabetes, and others.
Three days of the sessions were dedicated to psychosocial support, during which women were introduced to the proper way of dealing with stress and self-care, support skills and confidence-building, the characteristics of different age stages for children from 6-18 years old, and the importance of effective communication.
Each of the women received brochures on various topics covered during the course, as well as two hygiene kits containing assorted health materials.
