The strong bet that the Hospital de Dénia carried out to promote breastfeeding has been recognized with the IHAN accreditation (Initiative for the Humanization of Assistance to Birth and Lactation) of the 1 Phase, in the IHAN - UNICEF Accreditation Awards Ceremony.
This recognition is granted to the Health Centers and Hospitals for their good practices of humanization of birth and breastfeeding assistance and that have managed to overcome some phase of the accreditation process during the 2015 to 2017 exercises.
In the case of Dénia Hospital, the 80% of women who give birth at the center practice exclusive breastfeeding at discharge from maternity. In this first phase, the Hospital undertakes to implement the initiative. The first requirement has been to establish a breastfeeding committee responsible for coordinating actions and serving as a reference for professionals and nursing mothers.
According to Pediatrician Marta Sánchez, president of the Breastfeeding Committee: "This is the first step of a project that has continuity over time and that aims to support mothers in the decision to breastfeed their children, as well as favoring the breastfeeding process. There is a lot of scientific evidence about breastfeeding maternal has many benefits in the health of our children, mothers and society in general, as well as important repercussions on economic spending linked to health ".
It has also developed and published on its website a breastfeeding regulation that meets the requirements of the initiative. Another requirement has been to train the health and non-health professionals of the Dénia Department of Health in the culture and management of lactation who can be in contact with pregnant women and mothers.
