WHO, UNICEF boost breastfeeding cause

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have issued a new 10-step guidance to increase support for breastfeeding in health facilities that provide maternity and newborn services.

In a statement, WHO and UNICEF said “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” underpin the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, which they both launched in 1991.

They noted the practical guidance encourages new mothers to breastfeed and informs health workers how best to support breastfeeding.

The new guidance describes practical steps countries should take to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and newborn services.

It also provides the immediate health system platform to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour and breastfeed exclusively for six months.

The guidance describes how hospitals should have a written breastfeeding policy in place, staff competencies, and antenatal and post-birth care, including breastfeeding support for mothers.

It also recommends limited use of breastmilk substitutes, rooming-in, responsive feeding, educating parents on the use of bottles and pacifiers, and support when mothers and babies are discharged from hospital.

“Breastfeeding saves lives and its benefits help keep babies healthy in their first days and will last into adulthood,” UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said.

“But breastfeeding requires support, encouragement and guidance. With these basic steps, implemented properly, we can significantly improve breastfeeding rates around the world and give children the best possible start in life,” she added.

The two agencies recommend that breastfeeding all babies for the first two years would save the lives of more than 820,000 children under age five years old annually.