As part of World Breastfeeding Week, and in line with this year’s theme, “Breastfeeding and a Sustainable Start: Strengthening Effective Practices,” the symposium titled “Let’s Support Breastfeeding Together: A Multidimensional Perspective on Sustainable Breastfeeding” was held under the auspices of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital.
The symposium brought together academics and healthcare professionals from various disciplines to discuss current scientific approaches to supporting breastfeeding in the field of maternal and child health.
The opening speeches of the symposium were delivered by Chief Physician Assoc. Prof. Özgür Ömer Yıldız, Symposium Chair Assoc. Prof. Meryem Erat Nergiz, Symposium Chair Prof. Songül Yalçın, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Dr. Ahmet Kağan Özdemir, and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ankara University Prof. Zehra Aycan. The speakers emphasized the importance of breastfeeding in protecting maternal and infant health, the need to promote sustainable breastfeeding practices, and the importance of strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration.
The first session of the scientific program was chaired by Prof. Songül Yalçın and Assoc. Prof. Eyüp Sarı. During the session, Midwife Hamide Uyar from the Department of Child and Adolescent Health presented on “Baby-Friendly Practices in Türkiye,” while Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Semih Demirtaş addressed “The Contribution of Breastfeeding to the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The second session was chaired by Prof. Emine Dibek Mısırlıoğlu and Assoc. Prof. Özlem Tezol. Assoc. Prof. Nihal Durmaz delivered a presentation entitled “Maternal Mental Health and Breastfeeding: How Should We Establish the Balance?” Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Meryem Erat Nergiz and Breastfeeding Counselor Nurse Filiz Yıldız shared the family-centered breastfeeding support practices implemented at the hospital with the participants.
The third session was chaired by Prof. Nilgün Altuntaş and Assoc. Prof. Nilgün Demirli Çaylan. During this session, Assoc. Prof. Yasemin Aydoğan Ünsal discussed the endocrinological aspects of breastfeeding, while Dr. Baran Tuncer addressed musculoskeletal health in breastfeeding mothers.
The fourth session was chaired by Prof. Aysu Duyan Çamurdan and Prof. Habip Almiş. Assoc. Prof. Metin Demir discussed the role of breastfeeding in cancer prevention, as well as breastfeeding among mothers diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Hülya Şeker Yıkmaz shared current information on the rational use of medicines during the breastfeeding period.
The final scientific session of the day was chaired by Prof. Betül Ulukol and Prof. Emel Ürün. Dr. Ayşegül Şahiner delivered a presentation entitled “Today’s Adolescent, Tomorrow’s Parent: The Foundations of Breastfeeding Begin in Adolescence,” while Dr. Berna Akıncı Özyürek provided an assessment of safe approaches to the management of respiratory diseases in breastfeeding mothers.
Assoc. Prof. Meryem Erat Nergiz and Prof. Songül Yalçın served as Symposium Chairs. The Organizing Committee included Assoc. Prof. Özgür Ömer Yıldız, Dr. Merve Karaman Yılmaz, Dr. Esra Keskin, and Nurse Filiz Yıldız. The Scientific Committee consisted of numerous experienced academics and specialist physicians, who contributed significantly to the scientific content of the symposium.
The symposium concluded with highly productive sessions that contributed significantly to the sharing of up-to-date scientific knowledge on breastfeeding support, strengthening the exchange of experience among different disciplines, and promoting practices that support maternal and infant health.