Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should: |
Step 1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff. |
Step 2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. |
Step 3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. |
Step 4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth. |
Step 5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their infants. |
Step 6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. |
Step 7. Practice rooming-in-allow mothers and infants to remain together-24 hours a day. |
Step 8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. |
Step 9. Give no artificial teats/pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants. |
Step 10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic. |
Step 11. Comply with the Food Safety (Marketing of Infant and Young Child Foods) Regulations Code. |
Step 12. Provide Mother-friendly Care. |
Step 13. Support Infant Feeding in the Context of HIV. |
Step 14. Ensure that all new born babies delivered in Health Facilities or clinics receive step BCG and Polio “O” vaccine before discharge. |
Step 15. Ensure that all mothers who deliver in Health Facilities or clinics receive 200,000 IU of Vitamin A Capsule before discharge. |
Step 16. Issue a correctly filled in Child Health Card for each new born to the mother before discharge from the maternity ward. Provide Mother-friendly Care. |