Together with other health centers in Navarra, since 2007 the Lesaka Health Center has participated in the Initiative for the Humanization of Birth and Breastfeeding Assistance. The objective is to protect and promote “exclusive breastfeeding” by the centers, as well as to pay attention and facilities to “natural birth”.

To do this, the center must follow seven steps: ensure that breastfeeding is a right of the child and the mother according to the regulations; receive specific training; inform the pregnant women about breastfeeding; support the initiation of breastfeeding and pay special attention during the first 48 hours; support the child in the first months; adapt the health centers to make them more friendly; and create breastfeeding groups.

Nurse Elixabet Elizalde has said that “little by little” all the steps are being taken and that is why breastfeeding groups have been restarted. They had to stay for COVID-19 and resumed in March. The third Thursday of the month remains. Elizalde stresses that they are not workshops, but a space for dialogue and exchange of experiences: “That brings tertulias between equals.” She adds that thanks to these meetings, breastfeeding is “more enriching” and “easier”. “We are always ready to help us, but the important thing is to foster mutual relations, because many times doubts are clarified,” he said.

They want breastfeeding to be “as natural as possible” at the Lesaka health center. According to Elizalde, acting naturally “facilitates” breastfeeding: “The further away we are from nature, the more we have to relearn that breastfeeding is natural and we think we are doing the best.” He adds that “most” of the difficult arise from the fears: “In most cases they are better corrected and informed to the mother.”

Although the goal is to promote breastfeeding, it says respect the decision of the people who give birth: “Mothers who do not breastfeed should also be given care, support and quality guidelines. From respect and without judgment”.