In 1989, WHO and UNICEF have published a joint statement of “Protecting, promoting and supporting breast-feeding: The special role of maternity services”, which includes the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” The “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” are the foundation of the WHO/ UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). They summarize the maternity practices necessary to support breastfeeding.
Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:
Critical management procedures:
- a. Comply fully with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and relevant World Health Assembly resolutions
b. Have a written infant feeding policy that is routinely communicated to staff and parents.
c. Establish ongoing monitoring and data-management systems.
- Ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge, competence and skills to support breastfeeding.
Key clinical practices:
- Discuss the importance and management of breastfeeding with pregnant women and their families.
- Facilitate immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and support mothers to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth.
- Support mothers to initiate and maintain breastfeeding and manage common difficulties.
- Do not provide breastfed newborns any food or fluids other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
- Enable mothers and their infants to remain together and to practice rooming-in 24 hours a day.
- Support mothers to recognize and respond to their infants’ cues for feeding.
- Counsel mothers on the use and risks of feeding bottles, teats and pacifiers.
- Coordinate discharge so that parents and their infants have timely access to ongoing support and care.
