10 Steps to Successful Breasfeeding

1. Have a written policy for breastfeeding that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff.

2. Train all healthcare staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy

3. Infrorm 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, unles 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 artificail 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.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes

One of the tenets of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is that the markering of breast-milk
subsutitutes, including infant formula, discourages mothers from intiating and/or exclusively
breasfeeding their infants. The code adopted by the WHO in 1981, recommends restrictions on the
marketing of breast-milk substitutes, infant feeding bottles and teats.

1. No advertising of breast-milk substitues to families

2. No free samples or supplies in the health care system

3. No promotion of products through health care facilities, including no free or low-cost formula.

4. No contact between marketing personnel and mothers.

5. No gifts or personal samples to healtcare workers.

6. No words or pictures idealizing artificial feeding, including pictures of inants, on labels or products.

7. Information to health workers should be scientific and factual only.

8. All information on artificial feeding, including labers, should explain the benefits of breastfeeding and
the costs and hazards associated with artificial feeeding.

9. Unsuitable products should not be promoted for babies.

10. All products should be of high quality and take account of the climate and storage conditions of the
country where they are used.