“Maternity”, 1963, © 2003 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital

Initiative: A Part of the Global
Strategy
1. State the aim of the WHO/UNICEF Global
Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding;
2. Outline the aims of the Mother Baby-Friendly
Hospital Initiative (MBFHI);
3. Describe why MBFHI is important in areas of
high HIV prevalence;
4. Explain how this course can assist this facility
at this time.
5. Review how this course fits with other activities
 About 5500 children die everyday
 Suffer long-term effects:
> impaired development
> malnutrition
> increased infectious / chronic
illness
> rising rates of obesity in
children
   The aim of the Global Strategy is to improve
– through optimal feeding – the nutritional
status, growth and development, health, and
thus the survival of infants and young children.
It supports exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months,
with timely, adequate, safe and appropriate
complementary feeding, while continuing
breastfeeding for two years and beyond.
It also supports maternal nutrition, and social
and community support.

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To implement the Ten Steps to

Successful Breastfeeding and
to end the distribution of free
and low-cost supplies of
breastmilk substitutes to
health facilities.
 Special needs of HIV+ women can be
accommodated.

 WHO/UNICEF policy statement, the

right to information and support.

 Continue to support women who are

HIV (-) or unknown status.
 Discuss the Ten Steps and how to
implement them
 Importance of making the facility
Mother Baby Friendly
 Talk about practices related to
marketing of breastmilk substitutes
 Assessment process
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The aim of this course is that

every staff member will confidently
support mothers with early and exclusive
breastfeeding,
and that this facility moves towards achieving
Mother Baby-friendly designation.
 Communication skills
 Implement 10 steps, abide by the EO 51
 Discuss importance of breastfeeding
 Facilitate skin to skin contact
 Positioning and attachment
 Support BF upon discharged
 Know whom & where to refer
 Seek ways to overcome barriers
How the global strategy fits with other
activities
It is supported by national policies, laws
and programs to promote, protect and
support breastfeeding and protect the
rights of working women to maternity
protection.

National programs like:

IYCF / EO 51 / MBFHI / maternity leave
laws/ AO 2007-0026/ RA 10028