Table 1 Ten steps to successful breastfeeding [ 3 ]
From: The bumpy road to implementing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in Austria: a qualitative study
Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should: | |
|---|---|
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 breast-milk, 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. |