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 Assist. Prof Irena Zakarija-Grković
 

We investigate the phenomenon of breastfeeding, including:

• Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health professionals and parents toward breastfeeding;
• The management of mastitis, cracked nipples, and breast engorgement;
• The implementation of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative and it’s association with infant feeding practices;
• Prevalence, predictors and reasons for in-hospital formula supplementation; and
• How mothers transitioned to parenthood during the pandemic.

Team members/collaborators:
Assoc. Prof. Irena Zakarija-Grković, MD, FRACGP, IBCLC, PhD, FABM, Principal Investigator [CV]
Prof. Jacqueline Ho, MD, neonatologist
Prof. Gill Thomson, BSc, MSc, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Lisa Amir, MBBS, MMed, IBCLC, FABM
Assoc. Prof. Anita Pavičić Bošnjak, MD, neonatologist, PhD, IBCLC
Maja Štimac, MD, neonatologist, IBCLC
Adriano Cattaneo, MD, MSc, epidemiologist
Marija Čatipović, MD, paediatrician
Tea Burmaz, MD, public health specialist
Anamarija Ćuže Gugić, MD, family practitioner, PhD candidate
Sara Franić, MD, family practitioner
Mariella Borg Buontempo, MD
Charlene Vassallo, MD
Susanna Harutyunyan, MD
Maria Enrica Bettinelli, MD
Stefanie Rosin, PhD
Ana Vidović Roguljić, MSc, PhD candidate
Daniela Drandić
Helen Gray
Lara Delić, medical student
Magdalena Dragičević, medical student
Photo gallery 

Future directions

We plan to investigate:

• implementation of the new UNICEF/WHO 22-h course for maternity staff
• the use of feeding bottles and pacifiers in Croatian maternity facilities
• the effect of skin-to-skin contact on maternal/infant health and breastfeeding practices

 

Interests and topics: Breastfeeding, supplementation, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, breastfeeding community inititative, breastfeeding support groups, antenatal breastfeeding courses, exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding education, mastitis.