Naomi Douglas, a Health Visitor for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is presenting her progress with a breastfeeding project at the Mary Seacole Awards Ceremony next month. Naomi, who works at the East Oxford Health Centre, won the Mary Seacole Development Award for last autumn. 

One year on, Naomi has been asked to present her progress at a ceremony attended by representatives from the Department of Health, NHS and nursing unions. The aim of Naomi’s project was to increase the provision of breastfeeding information to women from the South Asian Community in a specific area of Oxford, during the ante natal period, and thereby increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months.

An intensive home visiting programme delivered by Unicef trained Children’s Centre workers from the local Asian community, in partnership with health workers, was offered to all pregnant women of South Asian origin who live in the catchment areas of three children’s centres.  Workers offered home visits and telephone calls in line with a specified schedule of care. They also offered post-natal contact from day two to six weeks for support with breastfeeding. 

Breastfeeding knowledge was assessed at entrance to the project and at 6 weeks post-natally. The project has been evaluated to assess the impact. The pilot ran over one year as a Mary Seacole Development Project.

Naomi is excited to present her progress at the ceremony in London next month, saying “I am so pleased to have won the award and having the opportunity to progress my project. There has been some valuable learning from the project and I am keen to ensure that methods for engaging women form the South Asian Community in breastfeeding are shared.”