Making your hospital

Baby Friendly
Session Objectives:

1. Explain what Baby-friend practices

mean;

2. Describe the process of BFHI

assessment;

3. Discuss how BFHI can be included in

existing programmes.
Course Aims:
The aim of this course is that
every staff member will confidently
support mothers to succeed
with early and exclusive
breastfeeding, and that this facility
moves towards achieving Baby-
Friendly designation.
15/1
A Baby-Friendly Hospital:
1. Implements the Ten Steps to Successful
Breastfeeding.

2. Accepts no free supplies or samples and no

promotional material from companies.
that manufacture or distribute breast milk
substitutes.

3. Fosters optimal feeding and care for those

infants that are not breastfed.
 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Step 1. Have a written BF policy that is

routinely communicated to all care staff.
Step 2. Train all health care staff in skills
necessary to implement this policy.
Step 3. Inform all pregnant women about
the benefits and management of
breastfeeding.
 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Step 4. Help mothers initiate BF within a

half-hour of birth.

Place babies in skin-to-skin contact with

their mothers immediately following birth
for at least an hour and encourage
mothers to recognize when their babies
are ready to breastfeed, offering help if
needed.
 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Step 5. Show mothers how to breastfeed

and how to maintain lactation even if
they should be separated from their
mothers.

Step 6. Give newborn infants no food or

drinks other than breastmilk unless
medically indicated.
 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Step 7. Practice rooming-in allow

mothers and infants to remain
together 24 hours a day.

Step 8. Encourage breastfeeding on

demand.
 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

STEP 9. Give no artificial teats or

pacifiers (also called dummies or
soothers) to breastfeeding infants.

STEP 10. Foster the establishment of BF

support groups and refer mothers to
them on discharge from hospital or
clinic.
How can we help to achieve this aim
Protect, promote and support BF.

Ensure that breast milk substitute are used

properly when necessary.

Provide adequate information about infant

feeding.

Prohibit advertising.

Report breaches of the Milk Code.

Process of Baby-Friendly Assessment

1. Self Appraisal
2. External Assessment
3. On going Monitoring
4. External Re-assessment
Include BFHI in existing programs

Can fit quality assurance programs

Maybe a responsibility of:
> the mother and child services
> breastfeeding or infant feeding committee
>or a part of Quality committee
Can be integrated with Safe Motherhood, IMCI
programs
 15/2
Developing a Plan:
Step One

Where are we now?

Developing a Plan: 15/3

Step Two
Where do we
want to be?
Developing a Plan: 15/4

Step Three

How will
we get
there?
Developing a Plan: 15/5

Step Four

How will
we know if
we are
there?
Developing a Plan: 15/6

Step Five

How will we sustain it?