What is The Baby-Friendly Initiative?

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global campaign of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that was initiated in 1991 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding families in hospitals. 

The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC) is the National Authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Initiative in Canada.  This initiative has been broadened to include community health services and is generally referred to as the Baby-Friendly Initiative. 

Why Implement the Baby-Friendly Initiative?

The Baby-Friendly Initiative recognizes that implementing best practices with respect to infant feeding is crucial to the success of programs that protect, promote and support breastfeeding.  Best practice is represented by The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in hospitals and The Seven Point Plan For The Protection, Promotion And Support of Breastfeeding in Community Health Services:

The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in hospitals:

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 women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers to 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.

From: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Special Role of Maternity Services, A joint WHO/UNICEF statement. Published by the Work Health Organization, 1989.

The Seven Point Plan For The Protection, Promotion And Support of Breastfeeding in Community Health Services:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all staff involved in the care of mothers and babies in the skills necessary to implement the policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Support mothers to establish and maintain exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months.
5. Encourage continued breastfeeding beyond 6 months, with appropriate introduction of other foods.
6. Provide a welcoming atmosphere for breastfeeding families.
7. Promote a co-operation between health care staff, breastfeeding support groups and the local community.

From: The Baby-Friendly Initiative in community Health Services: A Canadian Implementation Guide. Published by The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada.

How Do You Achieve Baby-Friendly Designation?

Any hospital/maternity facility/community health service interested in becoming Baby-Friendly should begin by appraising its current practices in relation to The Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding in hospitals, and The Seven Point Plan for Community Health Services.  For more information about the Baby-Friendly Initiative you can visit the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada website at  www.breasfeedingcanada.ca or call the Peterborough County-City Health Unit at 705-743-1000.

Building a Community that Supports Breastfeeding

The Seven Point Plan is intended to be implemented by staff and volunteers in community health services.  However, the BFI recognizes that to achieve the goal of breastfeeding as the cultural norm requires all sectors of the community including schools, community centres, organizations, restaurants, businesses, public places and others to work together to ensure that attitudes and practices are supportive of breastfeeding women and their families.

The Peterborough County-City Health Unit has a breastfeeding policy, staff members trained to help you breastfeed your baby, welcomes women to breastfeed and offers a private location if preferred. See our Public Policy Statement for information about what we want you to know.