BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL – Introduction, Steps in Global BFHI, Objectives of BFHI, Guidelines for Successful Lactation and International Act (CHILD HEALTH NURSING)
INTRODUCTION
- Baby-friendly hospital is a movement under which breastfeeding is protected and encouraged
- Baby-friendly hospital initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1922 as part of the Innocenti Declaration on promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding by WHO and UNICEF
- BFHI is a global programs organized by UNICEF, after the introduction in 1922, exclusive demand feeding is accepted as the only mode of early infant feeding
- BFHI plus program incorporates other child survival and safe motherhood components like immunizations, antenatal care, oral rehydration therapy, ARI control programs
STEPS IN GLOBAL BFHI
- A written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicate to all healthcare staff
- Training of all cares staff in skilled necessary to implement this policy
- Informing all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding
- Helping mothers initiative breastfeeding within a half hour of birth
- Showing mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their infants
- Giving newborn infants – no food or drink other than breast milk
- In practicing room, allow mother and infants to remain together for 24 hours a day
- Encouraging breastfeeding on demand
- Giving no artificial teats or pacifiers
- Fostering the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from hospital or clinic
OBJECTIVES OF BFHI
International pediatric association conference objectives:
- To enable mother to make an informed choice about how to feed their babies
- To support early initiation of breast feeding
- To promote exclusive breast feeding for the first 4-6 months
- To discourage commercial infant milk substitutes being supplied free to hospital
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESSFUL LACTATION
- Before starting breastfeeding mother should sit in a comfortable position
- Rooming in, bedding in allows the mother to identify cues and feed immediately
- Start feeding the baby before gets angry or hungry
- Wait until mouth is wide open and move him quickly from below the nipple
- Offer the breast in such a way that the areola is almost inside the baby’s mouth
- Hold infant close-facing the breast’s with chest-to-chest, abdomen-to-abdomen, head and body of infant aligned
- Allow him to suckle at one breast for 10-15 min or more. If the infant is still hungry switch on the other breast. For the next feed start from breast which was fed last
- Encourage demand feeding that to every 2-3 hours, even more frequently if infant desires
- End the feed by introducing a finger in between corner of mouth of the infant and breast tissue to break the suction to avoid injuring the nipples
- Place the baby in right lateral position
- Educate mother that they are feed their babies when they and their babies have the following illnesses like vomiting, cough, fever, diarrhea and cold, etc
- The importance of support from family members plays a key role successful continuation of exclusive breastfeeding
INTERNATIONAL ACT
International code of marketing of breast milk substitute (the code) was adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA). The code set out simple, basic rule to regulate harmful marketing practice
- No advertising of breast milk substitutes feeding bottles and teats
- No free samples to mothers
- No promotion in healthcare facilities, including no free or low cost formula
- No company personnel to contact mother
- No gifts or personal samples to health workers
- No pictures of infants or words idealizing artificial feeding on the labels of the products
- Information to health workers should be scientific and factual
- Information on artificial feeding, including that on labels, should explain the benefits and superiority of breastfeeding and the associated with artificial feeding
