What is Baby-Friendly? And why is that important when you are choosing a hospital to deliver at?
Baby-Friendly is a global initiative started by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund in the early 90’s. Here in the United States we have our own specific goals for Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives. In 2007, only 2.9% of the hospitals in the US were Baby-Friendly. The goal for “Healthy People 2020” is that we increase that number to 8.1%.
Baby-Friendly USA is a great resource for additional information. The Mission of Baby-Friendly USA is to “assess, accredit and designate birthing facilities that meet the BFHI criteria for implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and follow the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes- providing mothers and babies with the early support needed to achieve successful breastfeeding, an essential foundation for a health nation.” The Vision of Baby Friendly USA is “that all birthing facilities in the United States are designated Baby-Friendly.”
For a hospital to be Baby-Friendly, they must follow these guidelines… (from BabyFriendlyUSA.org)
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in the 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, even if they are separated from their infants.
6. Give 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 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 birth center.
When packing your hospital back you may want to keep in mind “9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants”. Baby-Friendly Hospitals cannot give out pacifiers because of the Baby-Friendly Rules. The reason is that some believe this can cause nipple confusion if given too early. However, others believe that once a latch has been established a pacifier may be given. So, if you are thinking about giving your baby a pacifier, make sure you bring that with you… if you are delivering at a Baby-Friendly Hospital.
I personally have worked as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at both Baby-Friendly and none Baby-Friendly Hospitals! I have to say that as a Nurse and Lactation Consultant, I do prefer working for a Baby-Friendly Hospital better. In my opinion… the environment is better, the patient education is better, and the patient satisfaction is better. I also delivered my son at a Baby-Friendly Hospital and loved the experience and standards that they held the nurses to. Overall, Baby-Friendly is the way for me as both a nurse and a patient!
