Since Babes in Arms joined in the World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7, 2010 celebrations, we thought it would only be right to write a post to inform you about what it actually means and where it originated.
This is the 19th year that the week has been celebrated formally by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and breastfeeding advocates in more than 170 countries world wide.This year, the central theme is “Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps. The Baby-Friendly Way” which provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and refocus on where to now.
But what is the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)?
BFHI was developed following the 1990 Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding in which both WHO and UNICEF jointly challenged maternity services to implement the scheme.
Figures provided suggest that today only 28% of all maternity facilities in the world have at some point implemented the 10 Steps which has worked towards increasing the breastfeeding rates.
Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) in Australia
The Australian College of Midwives (ACM) is responsible for the administration and accreditation of health facilities as “Baby Friendly” here in Australia and are supported by a committee of representatives from a range of professional associations including the Australian Breastfeeding Association, child and family health, lactation and midwifery nurses. There are currently 66 Baby Friendly accredited health services across Australia.
The BFHI has extended the Baby Friendly program in Australia to include other service providers who support mothers to continue breastfeeding once they leave hospital. This has risen from the well recognised observation that the 10 Steps helps mothers to begin breastfeeding, it is not sustained within the public health guidelines that recommend breastfeeding until 2 years or more. Given this, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative has been replaced with Baby Friendly Health Initiative here in Australia to integrate the BFHI community and BFHI paediatric. You can read more at the Australian Breastfeeding Association
Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps. The Baby-Friendly Way - What is it?
The 10 steps surround maternity hospital practise (now extended to maternal health services within Australia) and are a best practise sequence that WHO and UNICEF hope services will adopt.
They are:
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 mothers about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to 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 – 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.
You can see videos for each step on the WBW site here
Babes in Arms will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week by providing a babywearing flavour with tips on how to breastfeed whilst babywearing and opportunities for discussion around how Babywearing has supported you to breastfeed.
Supporting mothers to breastfeed and the tools to do so is the key to sustained breastfeeding. What do you think? What support were you given? Were you able to meet your own breastfeeding goals? Did babywearing help?
