Royal Philips Electronics for the second time is organizing ‘The Breast Feeding Awareness and Health Forum’ in the UAE. Following the success of last year’s event, this year Philips AVENT is conducting two forums, one in Abu Dhabi, 14 June 2010, at the Beach Rotana Hotel and another one in Dubai, 16 June 2010, at the Address Downtown Hotel. This conference is taking place in cooperation with the Philips AVENT regional distributor, Al Qadi Pharmacy and Establishment based in Dubai.
“Breast milk is the “food of love” that a mother can nurture her newborn with. In addition to the superior nutritional value it contains innumerable ingredients that are important for the infant’s physical and more importantly mental development. Its advantages extend beyond the neonatal period to adulthood; it does protect against many common non communicable disorders like obesity and autoimmune disorders,” commented Dr Mohamad Miqdady, the chairman of the event and a specialist in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition.
Over the years evidence has been gathered showing the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and their babies. The short-term benefits of breastfeeding are well known and include improved immunology for the baby, protection against certain cancers for the mother, and creating a bond that can reduce the impact of ‘baby blues’. More recently research has focused on the long term benefits for the baby, such as reduced risk of obesity, heart disease and type 2-diabetes.
“Philips AVENT is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates by promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices with the ultimate goal of improving the infant’s and mother’s health”, said Vincenzo Ventricelli, Marketing Director of Philips Consumer Lifestyle, Middle East & Africa. Therefore Philips AVENT invests heavily in creating dialog between gynaecologists, midwives, breastfeeding advisors, nursing professionals, neonatologists and pediatricians. The 2nd Philips AVENT Breast Feeding Awareness and Health Forum is aiming to give mothers more self-confidence for breastfeeding and to support healthcare professionals with educational lectures to encourage mothers to breastfeed longer”, he added.
During the morning session, mums and ‘mothers to be’ will be able to make the most of their motherhood by participating in a breastfeeding educational class. This class will be run by internationally recognised speakers, specialists in the field of Paediatrics, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition and will help mothers to overcome any challenges and /or fears that they may have with regards to breastfeeding from a practical point of view. Topics to be discussed are an overview of breastfeeding, recent updates, practical tips and advice on
common concerns associated with the early days of breastfeeding, as well as interesting and helpful facts about newborns.
The session for mums and ‘mothers to be’ will start at 10am. The lecture is followed by a complementary buffet lunch. There will also be a crèche and a private breast feeding area.
The afternoon session is aimed at Healthcare Professionals and giving them a deeper insight into the latest research around the long term benefits of breastfeeding. Three world class experts in infant nutrition, paediatrics and paediatric gastroenterology have been invited to present their latest cutting-edge research to the audience.
The chair of the afternoon session will be Dr Mohamad Miqdady who is an American Board certified Pediatrician and American Board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Dr Miqdady is also a consultant at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
Also speaking will be Dr. Medhat Abu-Shaaban who is a consultant in Pediatrics and a member of the American Board of pediatrics and fellow member of the American Academy of pediatrics with 20 years experience in the USA and Ms Sharon Trotter, Midwife and Author of “Breastfeeding: the essential guide”, and Founder and Director of TIPS Ltd, UK.
The Dubai event has been accredited by the Dubai Health Authority for 2 CPD hours.
Topics to be discussed include the history of breastfeeding, including the advantages and contradictions involved in breastfeeding, as well as the role of breast feeding in preventing diseases. An expert panel will be held where the audience can ask questions with regards to infant nutrition and local breastfeeding practices.
The session for healthcare professionals will be held in the afternoon, starting with a complementary networking buffet lunch and the learning session starting at 2 pm.