The UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative

UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative

The UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) is a world wide initiative. It provides best practice standards which health facilities need to meet in order to be accredited as “Baby Friendly”. The following quote is taken from the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative website:

	“Best practice The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative provides a framework for the implementation of best practice by NHS trusts, other health-care facilities and higher education institutions, with the aim of ensuring that all parents are helped to make informed decisions about feeding their babies and that they are supported in their chosen feeding method. Best practice is represented by the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (for maternity units) and the Seven Point Plan for the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding in Community Health Care Settings. Facilities and higher education institutions that meet the required standard can apply to be assessed and accredited as Baby Friendly. Implementing the Baby Friendly best practice standards is a proven way of increasing breastfeeding rates. And, by adopting Baby Friendly practices, health professionals can give mothers the support, information and encouragement to continue their chosen method of feeding for as long as they wish. “

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust and Plymouth teaching Primary Care Trust are working towards achieving Baby Friendly status. This is a way of ensuring that all our staff are trained and regularly updated to provide good breastfeeding information and support, and that our services are supportive to the needs of mums who are breastfeeding. For more information about UNICEF, or about the Baby Friendly Initiative, please visit www.babyfriendly.org.uk