The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI BFHI Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (WHO/UNICEF Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding) ) is a world wide program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), an affiliated agency of the United Nations. It was established in 1946 as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. (UNICEF UNICEF (y  `nĭsĕf'), the United Nations Children's Fund, an affiliated agency of the United Nations. ). Its goal is to encourage
hospitals and birth centers to promote and support breastfeeding.
Recognition is given to those organizations that successfully complete a
rigorous application and evaluation process. Hospitals and birth centers
need to comply with The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for
Hospitals (see sidebar). These ten steps outline critical ways to
promote breastfeeding. They assure that:
1. Mothers are given information regarding the importance and benefits of breastfeeding. 2. Health care staff are educated and trained to support breastfeeding mothers and babies. 3. Practices within the facility do not undermine breastfeeding. 4. Support groups are established and available for mothers to attend after leaving the hospital or birth center. When a facility can demonstrate, through an on-site evaluation, that they are able to implement the Ten Steps, they will be awarded the designation of being a Baby-Friendly institution. Globally, the BFHI was established to decrease infant morbidity and mortality Morbidity and Mortality can refer to:
It is my hope that the Baby-Friendly Initiative will someday become the "standard of care". This will most likely be due to consumer pressure rather than providers actually believing it is the best way to go. Consumers can and will play a big role in making this happen. Parents may ask the question: "Are you a Baby-Friendly facility?" and choose where to give birth based on breastfeeding policies. Hospitals and birth centers will not only need to know what that means, they will also need to be serious about achieving the Baby-Friendly Initiative award. We need to go further than being "fans of breastfeeding". We need to have knowledge and take action prenatally. This means giving mothers and families accurate information to choose a 'feeding method' (whether to breastfeed breast·feed or breast-feed v. breast-fed , breast-feed·ing, breast-feeds v.tr. To feed (a baby) mother's milk from the breast; suckle. v.intr. To breastfeed a baby. or not). Mothers and families need to understand the profound benefits of breastfeeding. Clinicians, doulas, childbirth educators, grandparents, partners all need to know specifically how to support the mother and child for successful breastfeeding. Before labor, families should be aware of how drugs in labor can affect breastfeeding outcomes. Giving birth without medication, as has often been documented, is more possible with the consistent, calm presence of a professional labor support provider. After giving birth, simple changes in routines can positively affect the mother and baby's beginning. Childbirth educators can encourage families to advocate for themselves and doulas can support families in this. Putting baby to the mother's breast soon after birth does make a difference. It is also okay to delay "routine" procedures such as the bath, Vitamin K. Mother and baby do not need to be separated. Rooming-in also makes a difference. There should be no artificial baby milk offered. It is not an 'alternative' but a poor fourth choice. The first choice is mother's milk, the second is expressed mother's milk, the third is donated mother's milk and the last choice is artificial baby milk, or formula. There is no need for pacifiers. While at the hospital or birth center, it is most helpful to limit visitors. Staff and doulas can affirm that mothers and babies should rest and nurse quietly whenever they need to. Ideally; mothers and babies will get settled at home sooner than later. But early discharge from the hospital or birth center means families need to prepare for postpartum care at home. Doulas should be available to follow-up with this early postpartum care. Families need to have resources readily available, such as contact numbers for lactation consultants, support groups, and early pediatrician appointments. When choosing a pediatrician, mothers should take care to find a practice that truly supports breastfeeding. If a pediatrician's office has a lactation consultant, that's a great sign that they are taking breastfeeding seriously and want to safeguard moms and babies during this vulnerable time. Parents should interview pediatricians and ask about lactation consultants. Asking the question will raise the issue and hopefully encourage the practice to hire a lactation consultant. Doulas and childbirth educators can explain these simple but important details to mothers before, during and after birth. Parents can be encouraged to inquire about all this during their prenatal care. Consumers' repeated demands will raise the consciousness of providers. Hospitals do pay attention to 'customer satisfaction'. If enough people ask for these things, there is reason to offer them. It is important to keep sending the message. In the fall of 2002 the hospital where I work set up a multidisciplinary task force to get the process underway. We have written a Letter of Intent to become a Baby-Friendly Hospital & Birth Center. Currently we are tackling the Ten Steps, and hope to have a site visit sometime in 2005. One of the most exciting, as well as crucial, parts of this effort is that the passion and work is carried by many individuals and groups within the hospital and birth center. I am the only lactation consultant, but our task force consists of doulas, nurses, nutritionists, doctors, midwives, support staff, and community members. We each bring our unique interests and beliefs together to strengthen the goal of ensuring that mothers and babies get the best beginning possible by breastfeeding with confidence and ongoing support. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding The BFHI promotes, protects, and supports breastfeeding through The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for Hospitals, as outlined by UNICEF/WHO. The steps for the United States are: 1. Maintain 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 women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. 4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth. 5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation lactation Production of milk by female mammals after giving birth. The milk is discharged by the mammary glands in the breasts. Hormones triggered by delivery of the placenta and by nursing stimulate milk production. , even if they are separated from their infants. 6. Give infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated. 7. Practice 'rooming-in'-allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day. 8. Encourage unrestricted breastfeeding. 9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants. 10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic. 42 US Baby-Friendly Hospitals and birth centers as of August 2004 Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, Lebanon New Hampshire Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, Elkhorn, Wisconsin Blount Memorial Hospital, Maryville, Tennessee Boston Medical Center Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a non-profit 581-bed medical center in Boston, Massachusetts. It was created by the formal merger of Boston City Hospital (BCH) and Boston University Medical Center Hospital (BUMCH). , Boston, Massachusetts Cape Canaveral Hospital, Cocoa Beach, Florida Cocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,482 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,435. [1]. Community Hospital of Anaconda Anaconda, city, United States Anaconda (ănəkŏn`də), city (1990 pop. 10,278), seat of Deer Lodge co., SW Mont.; inc. 1887. , Anaconda, Montana Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, also know as CHOMP, was founded in 1934 and is located 23625 Holman Highway in Monterey, California. The hospital has 176 acute care beds and 28 skilled-nursing beds. , Monterey, California Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, Brookfield, Wisconsin Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Kirkland, Washington GoletaValley Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara is a city in California, United States. It is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 92,325. Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut Inland Midwife Services,The Birth Center, Redlands, California Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Hayward, California Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, Clackamas, Oregon Kootenai Medical Center, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Coeur d'Alene (IPA: [kɚ də liːn]) is the county seat and largest city of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. Lisa Ross Birth & Women's Center, Knoxville, Tennessee Mercy Hospital Anderson, Cincinnati, Ohio Mercy Hospital Fairfield, Fairfield, Ohio Mercy Franciscan Hospital Mt. Airy, Cincinnati, Ohio Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana Methodist Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska Miles Memorial Hospital, Damariscotta, Maine Morton Plant Hospital Morton Plant Hospital is a 687 bed hospital at 300 Pinellas Street in Clearwater, Florida. Morton Plant is community-based and provides services in more than fifty specialty areas. This hospital is part of the greater BayCare Health System. , Clearwater, Florida Newport Hospital, Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. It is the home of Naval Station Newport, housing the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major United States Navy training center. Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, St. Johnsbury, Vermont St. Johnsbury is the seat[1] of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately 10 miles northwest of the Connecticut River and 40 miles south of the Canadian border. St. Okanogan-Douglas District Hospital, Brewster, Washington Peace-Health Nurse Midwifery Birth Center, Eugene, Oregon Providence Medford Medical Center, Medford, Oregon Reading Birth & Women's Center, Reading, Pennsylvania Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, New York This article is about the city of Rochester in Monroe County. For the town in Ulster County, see Rochester, Ulster County, New York. Rochester, once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City or Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, Encinitas, California St. Elizabeth Medical Center St. Elizabeth Medical Center may refer to:
St. John's Hospital St. John's Hospital may refer to: In the United Kingdom:
St. Mary Medical Center St. Mary Medical Center may refer to:
South County Hospital, Wakefield, Rhode Island Tacoma General Hospital, Tacoma, Washington Three Rivers Community Hospital, Grants Pass, Oregon Grants Pass is a city in, and the county seat of Josephine County, Oregon, United States GR6. The city is located on Interstate 5, northwest of Medford. Attractions include the Rogue River, famous for its rafting, and the nearby Oregon Caves. Ventura County medical Center Ventura County Medical Center is a hospital in the city of Ventura, California, USA. It is a 208 bed acute care hospital. The county also operates a 49 bed campus in Santa Paula. , Ventura, California Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, California Women's Health & Birth Center, Santa Rosa, California Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, USA. As of January 1 2007, the population of Santa Rosa was approximately 157,985 residents. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Women's Wellness & Maternity Center, Madisonville, Tennessee Kate Reist is a nurse-midwife and Lactation Consultant with the Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is a health system in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston, Massachusetts's metro-north communities. It includes three hospital campuses, more than 20 primary care and specialty practices, the Cambridge Public Health Department, and the Network Health . She lives with her family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. |
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