Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
In 1989, WHO and UNICEF described the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding as a global standard of quality maternity care. The Ten Steps address facility policies, training, community outreach, and caring procedures for new mothers and babies. The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched to encourage maternity facilities worldwide to adopt the Ten Steps. Maternity facilities that adhere to the Ten Steps and comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes are awarded the prestigious title of being ”Baby-friendly”. The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1991 as a global programme to incentivize maternity facilities throughout the world to adhere to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding;
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one half-hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from
their infants.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practice rooming in – that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on
discharge from the hospital or clinic.
ORIGINAL SOURCE OF INFO : National implementation of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative 2017
