Republic of the Philippines

Department of Health
BAGUIO GENERAL HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER

BREASTFEEDING POLICY

All hospital staff assigned to areas of the hospital providing maternity services and care for
newborn infants should:

1. Read and follow this written policy which will be routinely communicated and taught
to all health care staff including doctors, nurses and students.

2. Attend the twenty hour course entitled Breastfeeding Promotion and Support in a
Baby-Friendly Hospital which the hospital will provide on a quarterly basis to
hospital staff to learn the skills necessary to implement this policy.

3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.

4. Help mothers initiate skin to skin contact and breastfeeding immediately at birth
and non separation of the baby from the mother should be implemented.

5. Teach and support mothers whose babies are sick, cannot breastfeed and are
admitted in the Pediatric Newborn Care Unit (PNCU) or the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU), to maintain lactation by expressing their breastmilk which will be kept
in the PNCU Milkbank. This expressed breastmilk (EBM) will be made available to all
babies if their mothers cannot provide enough milk for them.

6. Not give newborn infants foods or drink other than breasmilk, unless medically
indicated.

7. Practice rooming-in that is, allows mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours
a day.

8. Encourage breastfeeding per demand.

9. Give no artificial treats or pacifiers (also called tsupon or mamador) to
breastfeeding infants.

10. Advice mothers to bring their babies upon discharge from the hospital to the
Underfive Clinic, Health Centers, or their Pediatricians where mothers are further
supported to maintain breastfeeding.