The UNICEF and WHO in 1982 launched this initiative among doctors, nurses, health workers, parents, in hospitals and maternity homes to promote, protect and support breast feeding. The object is to re-establish the superiority of breast feeding in order to protect the health of the new born by becoming baby friendly. To fulfill this initiative UNICEF and WHO laid down 10 steps to create the baby friendly environment:
1) There must be a written breast feeding policy
2) All health care staff must be trained to implement this policy.
3) All pregnant women must be informed bout the benefits of breast feeding
4) Mothers should be helped to initiate breast feeding within half-an-hour of birth
5) Mothers are shown the best what to breast feed
6) Unless medically indicated, the newborn should be given no food or drink other than breast milk.
7) To practice ‘rooming in’ by allowing mothers and babies to remain together 24 hours a day.
8 ) To encourage demand breast feeding.
9) No artificial teats to babies should be given
10) Breast feeding support groups are established and mothers are referred to them on discharge.
A baby friendly hospital should also provide other preventive health cares e.g.: infant immunization, re-hydration salts against diarrheal dehydration and child’s growth and development surveillance.