Hospital Polices on Breastfeeding

(Newswire.net — December 6, 2017) Cheyenne, Wyoming — One would think that all hospitals could be described as “baby-friendly” but that it is not the case. There were no uniformed “baby-friendly” criteria for hospitals internationally prior to 1991 when the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly implemented the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) based on the Innocenti Declaration of 1990.

“The initiative is a global effort to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding,” says WHO and since inception of the BFHI, more than 15,000 facilities in over 152 countries have been granted a Baby-Friendly status. This coveted recognition is monitored by a national accredited organization which surveys local facilities to guarantee BFHI standards are upheld.

“Health care systems should ensure that maternity care practices provide education and counseling on breastfeeding,” says Regina A. Benjamin, Former U.S. Surgeon General. “Hospitals should become more “baby-friendly,” by taking steps like those recommended by the UNICEF/WHO’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.” To attain Baby-Friendly status, medical facilities must strictly adhere to the maternity care Global Criteria development by UNICEF and WHO, among which is the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” guideline which reads:

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 initiate breastfeeding within one half-hour of birth.

5.     Show mothers how to breastfeed and 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 – that is, 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.

“There is an abundance of scientific evidence that points to lower risks for certain diseases and improved health outcomes for both mothers and babies who breastfeed,” say Baby-Friendly USA, Inc. (BFUSA). However, proper diet, exercise and emotional health are all critical components to one’s ability to successfully breastfeed.

A balanced diet is usually the first point of interest taught to nursing mothers. The consumption of alcohol is noted to flow freely into breast milk so if a nursing mother desires to have a drink, certain safety measures need to be established. 

While moderation is important, there is also the matter of knowing how long it takes for alcohol to be metabolized, which varies for each individual. Testing a sample of breast milk with an analyst kit such as the PureMilk™ Breast Milk Alcohol Test by HealthyWiser™ is a highly advisable approach since it delivers results in seconds with 99.9% accuracy and the peace of mind to safely resume nursing.