In Nepal Baby friendly hospital initiatives activities were started in 1994 with the support and training of health workers from 22 hospitals all over the nation till 1996AD.WHO and UNICEF launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to encourage maternity and infant care institutions around the world to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The Ten Steps are a set of rules and procedures that facilities that provide pregnancy and newborn services should put in place to encourage breastfeeding. WHO has urged all maternity and infant care facilities globally to implement the Ten Steps.
The BFHI implementation guidance emphasizes ways for scaling up to universal coverage and ensuring sustainability over the long term. The guideline focuses on deeper integrating the program within the health-care system with the goal to make certain that all facilities in a country adopt the Ten Steps.
The BFHI is based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. These steps emphasize evidence-based practices that encourage and support breastfeeding, while also ensuring that mothers receive accurate and unbiased information about infant feeding options. Here are the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding:
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy: Hospitals develop and implement a policy that promotes breastfeeding as the preferred method of infant feeding and guides staff in providing appropriate care.
2. Train all healthcare staff in skills necessary to implement this policy: All healthcare staff members receive training on breastfeeding support, including techniques for helping mothers initiate and sustain breastfeeding.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding: Mothers receive information about the importance of breastfeeding during their antenatal care.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth: Hospital staff support mothers in initiating breastfeeding soon after birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants: Mothers receive guidance on proper breastfeeding techniques and the importance of frequent and unrestricted breastfeeding.
6. Give newborns no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated: Hospitals avoid giving formula or other foods or drinks to newborns unless medically necessary.
7. Practice rooming-in: Mothers and infants are encouraged to remain together 24 hours a day to promote breastfeeding and bonding.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand: Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed whenever their infants show signs of hunger.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants: Hospitals avoid introducing artificial nipples that might interfere with successful breastfeeding.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic: Mothers are provided with information about local breastfeeding support resources.
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative has been successful in increasing breastfeeding rates, improving infant health outcomes, and enhancing maternal and infant bonding. Hospitals that are designated as Baby-Friendly create an environment that is supportive of breastfeeding and follows best practices in maternal and newborn care.