Baby Friendly Hospitals Promote Breastfeeding

The term "baby friendly" invokes the image of smiling babies and content mothers. Hopefully all hospitals and birthing centers are baby friendly, but to carry the official designation of "Baby Friendly," hospitals have passed a criteria examination that it gives new mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies. Currently only 61 U.S. hospitals and birthing centers carry the "Baby Friendly" designation.

Breastfeeding Benefits

The health benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and child are increasingly understood and touted by doctors, lactation consultants, and mothers. According to data from the National Women's Health Information Center, studies have shown that breastfed children have fewer and less serious illnesses than those who never receive breast milk, including reduced risk of SIDS, ear infections, and diabetes. Women who breastfeed have lower risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Additionally, breast milk is free, creating a big cost savings for families who do not have to buy formula.

Baby Friendly Criteria

Though many hospitals actively promote breastfeeding, to receive "Baby Friendly" designation, hospitals and birthing centers must implement the following ten steps.

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, 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." That is, 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.

In 1992, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began to examine the criteria and assessment process of the global Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). In 997, the Healthy Children Project, Inc. formed Baby-Friendly USA to implement the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States. In addition to providing official "baby friendly" designations, Baby-Friendly USA promotes breastfeeding across the country and provides resources for hospitals to do so.

Low Breastfeeding Rates in U.S.

Despite the wide recognition of the benefits of breastfeeding, from both a health and economic standpoint, only 16 percent of women still nurse their babies for the year recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, the number of women who nurse their babies is rising according to a CDC Report released in August 2007. This is good news, and apparently, happening despite pressure from the infant formula industry to tone down breastfeeding support advertisements, as reported by the Washington Post.

Breastfeeding is a personal choice, and women choose to breastfeed or not for a variety of reasons. As the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative continues to grow, government studies continue to support the benefits of breastfeeding, and women feel direct support, knowledge, and education, the rate of women who breastfeed their babies for extended periods of time will continue to rise.

Sources:Baby Friendly USA

National Women's Health Information Center

Washington Post, Breastfeeding Ads Blunted