“I had accompanied childbirth – but because I was forced to choose a private maternity hospital. In public maternity hospitals, that was not possible, and that sincerely disappointed me,” said one of the mothers who decided to share their experience.
She points out that her presence of husband at birth was crucial: “We were preparing together for that day. He was with me all the time – comforted me, he held his arm. He was not just an escort.”
Her testimony emphasizes how much emotional and psychological support of women can have when it is possible to be known, close and reliable on childbirth.
“I deeply believe that every woman has the right to accompany the childhood, it is a basic human right. That is strongly advocating that this practice is urgently introduced in public institutions. No woman would be deprived of support in the most important moment of his life,” says.
According to the Baby Steps Association, the Health Institutions of the Federation of BiH The possibility of accompaniment of maternity during the entire natural childbirth currently exists only in the UKC Tuzla and the Mostar University Clinical Hospital.
And while in most European countries, as in the neighborhood, the presence of accompaniment during childbirth is standard practice, in the part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, this is still not systemically enabled. From the Baby Steps Association, the presence of accompaniment brings a number of benefits – reduces the stress in maternity, reduces the number of medical interventions and contributes to the better delivery of birth. This is confirmed by the World Health Organization, as well as a complete medical profession.
In Republika Srpska, at the RS university center in Banja Luka, the accompaniment is allowed and is no longer charged, as was the case before. The accompanying request is submitted a month before the expected date of childbirth and must be shown when entering the maternity hospital.
The “Baby Steps” association for years is working with pregnant women and mothers – and accompanimentation on childhood turns out again as their greatest desire and need. Precisely because of that, we surrendered the initiative to the Parliament of the Federation of BiH to finally recognize the accompaniment as a right that all health facilities must enable. We will not stop until every woman in the public maternity office has the support she deserves.
The House of the Peoplement of the Federation of BiH was adopted by the proposal of the Gender Equality Commission, which mothers guarantees the right to the presence of accompaniment in its choice during the entire duration of birth.
The initiative was launched by the “Voice of Women” from Bihac 24. May, and her goal is, as they stated, the creation of a safer and humanitory environment in all hospitals within the Federation, writes Noise.
