Special Skills Training Program for Single Mothers – completed!

Our first run of Special Skills Training Program for Single Mothers has officially concluded after five intensive weekends of training and learning throughout March 2013!  This program was organized by Because to provide single mothers with the skills and knowledge to pursue an alternative career so that they can improve their livelihood, and in turn provide for a better future for their children and family.

Nine ladies from the Malaysian Spring Single Mother’s Society (“MSSMS ladies”) completed the course and are now armed with the foundation knowledge of being a confinement lady and ready to kick start their alternative career.  We are pleased to announce that one of our MSSMS ladies has already found a client and begun her first job as a confinement lady!

During the last two weekends, apart from being taught to cook delicious and nutritious confinement delicacies and other practical on-the-job tips by Mrs Veronica Leow, Dr Koe Swee Lee – Pediatrician and Lactation Consultant and Ms Elizabeth – Infant Care Consultant and former nurse from Pantai Hospital, gave our MSSMS ladies thorough explanations and practical activities on infant care and breastfeeding.  We thank Mrs Veronica Leow, Dr Koe Swee Lee and Ms Elizabeth for so kindly and generously giving us their time and experience!

Dr Koe, being a pioneer in advocating breastfeeding in Malaysia, highly encourages breastfeeding and explained at length on the benefits and the do’s and don’ts of breastfeeding to the mother and infant.  She taught our MSSMS ladies on the proper way on how to position the baby when suckling, and on how often and when is best to breastfeed the baby.  She explained that breastfeeding can be challenging as mothers may experience difficulties in producing milk initially and need persistence and perseverance to ensure success in their breastfeeding efforts.  She stressed that moral support from family members especially from the mother’s husband and the assisting confinement lady is vital for successful breastfeeding.

The workshop was very interactive and our MSSMS ladies asked many questions to clarify their understanding.  They were very receptive and appreciative of the knowledge imparted to them.

Ms Elizabeth taught the ladies on proper infant care.  Among areas covered included how to recognise the needs of the baby by the sound of their cry, when and how often to feed a baby, how to burp a baby after feeding, how to bathe the baby, the proper way to carry a baby so that the baby is safe and comfortable and how to be sensitive to the needs of a baby.  She also taught different methods of massage for the baby’s general well being, when the baby has cough, and to help the baby sleep well.

Our MSSMS ladies had the opportunity to practice what was taught in the workshop on cute baby dolls. They found it rather amusing treating the baby dolls as real babies and had a good laugh while practising.

On the last day of the course, the ladies were given a short assessment.  After that, Mrs Veronica Lim and Ms Yap Yoke Fui facilitated a discussion among the ladies to reinforce their understanding on what was taught during the course.

We will be having a catch up session with all of them in 3 months to see how they are doing, and to find out what challenges they faced in that period so we can help them address those challenges where possible.  We wish our lovely MSSMS ladies all the best and we will be here to provide continuous support!

Here are some of the photos of taken throughout the program:

The making of angku kuih…

…The final product (bottom) along with other dishes

It was a very fun learning process!

Essential food for the new mother… ending with the lucky red egg for everyone else 🙂

Practical learning on infant care by the amazing Ms Elizabeth (top right) and Dr Koe (bottom left)