breast feeding (ten steps to successful breastfeeding)

Last reviewed 05/2023

ten steps to successful breastfeeding from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative

Launched in 1991 by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund, the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative promotes

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding:

• have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff
  
  
• train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy
  
  
• inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding
  
  
• help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth
  
  
• show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are to be separated from their infants
  
  
• give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated
  
  
• practice rooming-in by allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day
  
  
• encourage breastfeeding on demand
  
  
• give no artificial teats, pacifiers, dummies, or soothers to breastfeeding infants
  
  
• foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic

Reference:

• 1. National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care (NCCPC) 2006. Postnatal care. Routine postnatal care of women and their babies