Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Hospitals support mothers to breastfeed by

1. Hospital Policies

Because:

• Not promoting infant formula, bottles or teats

• Making breastfeeding care standard practice

• Keeping track of support for breastfeeding

Hospital policies help make sure that all mothers and babies receive the best care

2. Staff competency

Because:

• Training staff on supporting mothers to breastfeed

• Assessing health workers’ knowledge and skills

Well-trained health workers provide the best support for breastfeeding

3.  Antenatal care

Because:

• Discussing the importance of breastfeeding for babies and mothers

• Preparing women in how to feed their baby

Most women are able to breastfeed with the right support

4. Care right after birth

Because:

Encouraging skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby soon after birth

• Helping mothers to put their baby to the breast right away

Snuggling skin-to-skin helps breastfeeding get started

5. Support mothers with breastfeeding

Because:

• Checking positioning, attachment and suckling

• Giving practical breastfeeding support

• Helping mothers with common breastfeeding problems

Breastfeeding is natural, but most mothers need help at first

6. Supplementing

Because:

• Giving only breast milk unless there are medical reasons

• Prioritizing pasteurized donor human milk when a supplement is needed

• Helping mothers who want to formula feed do so safely

Giving babies formula in the hospital makes it hard to get breastfeeding going

7. Rooming-in

Because:

• Letting mothers and babies stay together day and night

• Making sure that mothers of sick babies can stay near their baby

Mothers need to be near their babies to notice and respond to feeding cues

8. Responsive feeding

Because:

• Helping mothers know when their baby is hungry

• Not limiting breastfeeding times

Breastfeeding babies whenever they are ready helps everybody

9. Bottles, artificial nipples, and pacifiers

Because:

• Counseling mothers about the use and risks of feeding bottles and pacifiers

Everything that goes in the baby’s mouth needs to be clean

10. Discharge

Because:

• Referring mothers to community resources for breastfeeding support

• Working with communities to improve breastfeeding support services

Learning to breastfeed takes time