New Mothers at Karl Bremer Hospital Blessed with Gift Bags

On Thursday, 19 September 2019, new mothers at Karl Bremer Hospital were handed gift bags by Radio Tygerberg 104FM in partnership with Inceba Saving Babies.

“Inceba Saving Babies in Bellville is an amazing organisation that helps babies when their mothers cannot or don’t want to take care of them anymore. They asked Radio Tygerberg 104FM to thank new mothers at Karl Bremer Hospital for the huge role they are already playing in their child’s life by choosing to raise their babies. All babies deserve a chance at a bright future,” said Sedrick Taljaard, Radio Tygerberg 104FM’s general manager.

The bags contained nappies and clothing items that will support new mothers in the first few weeks of their new journey to take care of their baby. The first thousand days of a child’s life,from conception until the child is two years old, are especially important in ensuring they have a bright future.

The first thousand days approach is built on three pillars – protection, care and play. Mothers are encouraged to protect their babies against disease by having them immunised and by exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of their baby’s life and to continue breastfeeding once their baby eats solid foods.

Taking care of the baby means looking after their health and wellbeing by bringing them for regular check-ups at their nearest clinic to monitor their growth and development. 

Stimulating play means interaction with the baby to form a bond. Mothers, fathers and caregivers can do this by reading and talking to their baby and playing simple games like rolling or kicking a ball. 

All new mothers are provided with a Road To Health booklet when their baby is born. This booklet is a good, practical guide to taking care of your baby, when you must seek urgent medical care for your baby, and how to play and interact with your baby. Western Cape Health also wants to encourage mothers to take care of their own health and well-being.

“We want to build a relationship with both mother and baby. It is important that mothers also take care of their own health and well-being. If you feel sad, down, or that you are not coping, please seek help immediately from your nearest clinic. Also ask your clinic if they have a breast feeding and/or post-natal support group that you can join,” said Sr. Anri van Rooyen, head of Karl Bremer Hospital’s maternity ward.

Inceba Saving Babies is located at 9 Quarry Road Bellville. The organisation has an anonymous baby drop-off station for mothers who feel they cannot or do not want to take care of their babies. They also offer entrepreneurial classes for mothers, as well as counselling for women who chose to terminate their pregnancy.

- END -

Photo 1 caption:  New mother Nokuthula Ngqakamba with baby girl Likhona. From left to right is Radio Tygerberg’s Minda Groenewald and Helena de Lange with Karl Bremer’s Melvin Fortuin, Assistant Manager Nursing: Speciality, and Sr Anri van Rooyen.

Photo 2 caption:  From left to right: Helena de Lange, Minda Groenewald, Melvin Fortuin, Sr. Anri van Rooyen, and Sedrick Taljaard with the gift bags donated by Radio Tygerberg 104FM and Inceba Saving Babies.