~ Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative ~
Staff Training
Exclusively designed to satisfy the 20 hour educational component necessary for staff working within facilities seeking Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) accreditation.
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The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program developed and sponsored by The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), designed to encourage the development of hospital policies and practices that are demonstrated to produce optimal breastfeeding support and outcomes in the hospital setting. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative consists of a multi-faceted process by which hospital administrators, staff, and BFHI assessors collaborate to examine existing policies and protocols, develop strategic improvement plans, and oversee implementation of each of the 10 steps identified as required components of BFHI accreditation. For more information on the steps to BFHI accreditation see: www.BabyFriendlyUSA.org.
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The 10 Steps
- Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff.
- Train all healthcare staff in the skills necessary to implement the policy.
- Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
- Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of giving birth.
- Show mothers how to breastfeed and maintain lactation even when they are separated from their infants.
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- Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk unless medically indicated.
- Practice rooming in by allowing mothers and infants to be together 24 hours a day.
- Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
- Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
- Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them upon discharge.
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