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Date: | Sun, 3 Dec 1995 21:00:01 -0500 |
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Laura,
Hi, my name is Karen Page. I spent 6 mo in Zagreb, Croatia. I went as a
Navy Nurse and did make friends with some local women. I believe after
knowing a littlie about the people from their own stories and reading about
the culture and history of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, that these
people are very westernizied. If you look at them on CNN, they look just
like us. When I was in town, I would be asked for directions but I did not
understand the language very well to respond to their questions. I wanted to
observe the care on their maternity floor but when I discovered that they do
breast/bottle much like the American culture, I lost all interest.
I can tell you, we sent a medical staff consisting of 1 Dr (FP), 2 PA s and
1 ER RN in the Bihac pocket ( the poor Muslim village, mostly women and
children living in old chicken coops) and the big challenge was to teach
parents oral hydration to preserve the limited supplies of IVs and
artificial baby milk. I was very concerned that breastfeeding was the 1st
choice but much to my surprise both the Dr and RN said that proper
nutrition was in questioned. I reply if they were healthy enough to become
pregnant and survive that, BF could be established. It was a struggle.
Modern medicine was demanded ie IV and artificial baby milk.
Also at the MASH hospital in Zagreb, I did meet 10 pregnant women, wives of
United Nations employees or Peacekeepers from many different countries. I
was always curious about their intent to BF, or previous experience with
BF. Much to my dismay, the breast/bottle syndrome prevailed. I do
understand that the Muslim culture does encourage BF.
WHO and UNICEF and UNHCR all get involved with nutrition of children and
they do their very best to protect brestfeeding.
Just a short, sweet experience of different bf cultures in the Former
Republic of Yugoslavia.
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