It's World Breastfeeding Week!

The them this year is "Just ten steps!  The baby-friendly way!"
This is in reference to the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, which is part of WHO and UNICEF, and has been proven effective in reducing neonatal deaths, infant abandonment, and increasing awareness and success of breastfeeding for those mothers who deliver there.  As of July 2, 2010, there are only 92 U.S. hospitals that have been awarded Baby Friendly status.  In order to receive this award, hospitals must follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
Each hospital should:
1.Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2.Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3.Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4.Help all mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.  (This will include constant skin to skin contact, even for mothers who have had a cesarean.)
5.Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
6.Give breastfed newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated.
7.Practice rooming-in: allow mothers and infants to remain together-24 hours a day.
8.Encourage breastfeeding on cue.
9.Give no artificial teats or pacifiers.
10.Foster the establishment of breast-feeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.