Babes in Arms – blogging about select baby carriers and slings from around the world

Babywearing allows on the run breastfeeding. How great does that sound? With a little bit of practice you can use babywearing as a tool to assist in integrating breastfeeding into your normal activities.  Breastfeeding whilst babywearing is discreet and can quickly calm a fussy baby.

Dr Sears suggests that breastfeeding whilst babywearing can assist with babies that are having trouble latching on to the breast. He feels that the positioning that sling provides impacts positively on the baby’s physiology, providing optimum conditions to relax and latch on. Has this worked for you?

We would like to hear from all you Breastfeeding, Babywearing Mums out there. Let us know (either by leaving a comment here on our blog or on our Facebook page) your best tips for successfully combining babywearing and breastfeeding.  We will award one comment with a set of BabyLegs legwarmers.

Full Terms & Conditions:

A. This activity closes at midnight August 6, 2010
B. A set of BabyLegs legwarmers valued at up to $14.95 will be awarded to one entry
C. Winners will be chosen by Babes in Arms.
D. Winners must meet ALL eligibility criteria to win
E. Winners will be notified via our BLOG and Facebook and must respond in 7 days
E. Only legitimate comments will be accepted.
F. Babes in Arms reserves the right to deem any entry invalid
G. This competition is only open to residents of Asia Pacific.
H. This giveaway is for Babes in Arms fans only. Comments that self-promote stores or products will not be accepted as eligible, and will be removed

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 19^th 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?

The ERGObaby carrier can become a useful tool for positioning baby to feed whilst you are out and about. It is discreet and comfortable for both you and baby. We came across this video on YouTube which illustrates how easy it can be with a little practise.

World Breastfeeding Week starts today. In celebration, Babes in Arms thought we could have a bit of fun throughout the week.  We will be uploading a number of blog posts that blend babywearing and breastfeeding; will have some fun competitions and will share some great imagery. Sound like fun?  Let the fun begin!