The department of Pediatrics is celebrating the ” Breast feeding Week” on Date : 1st Aug, 2022 and 2nd Aug, 2022 Time : 9:30 am to 1:00 pm Venue : Kadamba Hall (College Auditorium) ALL ARE CORDIALLY INVITED To encourage breast feeding and to promote good breast feeding practices, every year we celebrate world breast feeding week from august 1st to august 7th. This year with the theme being “ STEP UP FOR BREAST FEEDING – EDUCATE AND SUPPORT ” the world breast feeding is celebrated from august 1st to august 7th focusing on the need for educating, protecting and promoting good breast feeding practices prioritizing the responsibility of the family and society in supporting breast feeding. In our RRMCH, we the department of pediatrics has been celebrating world breast feeding week from the past 17 years. Continuing the good efforts towards bringing awareness about breast feeding, this year also we have celebrated world breast feeding week successfully from august 1st till august 10th and as a part of celebration, each day we had organized various events to promote, protect, educate and support breast feeding. The programme had started with inauguration on 1st August, by our Medical Superintendent Dr. Praveen and by our beloved HOD of pediatrics Dr. Adarsh at Kadamba college auditorium with the other department doctors gracing the occasion. The inauguration was followed by an excellent informative talk about the need and necessity of breast feeding by our HOD Dr. Adarsh. There was a poster presentation competition involving the post graduate students, nursing students and interns that were held to bring out the innovative thoughts and ideas in bringing awareness about breast feeding through their handmade posters. On 2nd August, we had organized a quiz programme at kadamba college auditorium, involving the post graduate students from pediatrics, Obstetrics and gynecology, community medicine departments and interns, with a great number audience including the clinical and non-clinical hospital staff and students from various departments. The programme was successfully conducted by Dr. Sowjanya. On 3rd August, we in association with department of community medicine have arranged an awareness programme at chunchunakuppe health centre, where many public including pregnant and lactating mothers with their children and village heads had attended the programme. RRMCH and RRNC students had done Mock acts with poster presentation to make the audience aware of breast feeding. Dr. Adrash E, Prof & HOD of pediatrics, Dr. Shashikala, Professor & HOD of community medicine and professor Dr. Sham had graced the occasion. On 4th August, all the staff and postgraduate students had performed a flash mob at the hospital lobby, to create awareness about the breastfeeding importance which was followed by a talk by our HOD of pediatrics Dr. Adarsh about the advantages of breast feeding. Later postnatal ward mothers were educated about the good breast feeding practices by Dr. Nagarathnamma, Professor of Obs & Gynec, and by our HOD of pediatrics Dr. Adarsh. Lot of queries have been addressed and the role of community in successful breast feeding has been emphasized. On 5th August, Undergraduate teaching programme was conducted regarding best breast feeding practices, advantages ,myths and misconceptions about breast feeding and role of doctors and paramedical staff in addressing the problems related to breast feeding. On 6th August, one day IYCF sensitization workshop was organized at Kadamba college auditorium for the medical and nursing students, with more than 100 participants. The inauguration was graced by Dean Dr. Sathyamurthy, Medical Superintendent Dr. Praveen, TV celebrities Mrs. Sujata Akshay and Mr. Abhinash Bharadwaj. In the forenoon, Dr. C. Banapurmath Senior Professor, chairperson of IYCF chapter of IAP, had delivered an excellent talk about “Assessing and observing breastfeeding. “Following this, Dr. Pusphpalatha (Additional director, SIHFW, Department of health and family welfare ) had spoke about “Physiology of effective breast milk transfer and Lactogenesis”. Dr. Dinakar More, President IYCF chapter, Karnataka had addressed the forum about “Building confidence for successful breast feeding among the mothers”. Dr. Mallikarjuna H. B, National Vice- President of IYCF chapter 2022-2023, had addressed the forum about the “Common problems and their solutions during breast feeding”. Dr. Adarsh E, Joint secretary IYCF and EC member IAP, Professor and HOD of pediatrics had addressed the forum about the “Myths and Misconceptions about breast feeding”. In the afternoon 3 work stations were arranged, and all the participants were trained about “Various breast feeding positions” by Smt. Thayimuddamma, NICU staff nurse. Dr. Pushpalatha had trained the forum in “Syringing technique” and Dr. Mallikarjuna H.B, had trained the forum about “Expressed breast feeding- Cup feeding techniques”. The workshop was concluded by felicitating the guest speakers. On 8th August, A gathering was organized at hospital lobby that was graced by the Medical Superintendent Dr. Praveen, Dr. Adarsh/HOD dept of pediatrics and heads of all the departments and also all teaching and non teaching staff of the hospital, the undergraduate and post graduate students along with a huge general public. Our pediatrics department post graduate students have performed a dance and skit, supporting the need for breast feeding that had received a great applause from the hospital staff and the general public. This was followed Prize distribution for the winners and participants of the various events in the breast feeding week.