Mothers are aware of the health benefits of breastfeeding for their babies and themselves. Exclusive breastfeeding is the normal way to feed babies from birth until six months of age. Health Canada recommends that mothers continue breastfeeding along with the gradual introductions of solid foods, up until two years of age and beyond. A Canada-wide survey reported in 2009 that 88 percent of mothers breastfed their babies at birth. Twenty-eight percent of these mothers stopped within the first month. Another 28 percent stopped before six months.
A recent study by Toronto Public Health Services showed that where mothers give birth makes a difference to their success in breastfeeding. Mothers are more likely to continue exclusive breastfeeding when they give birth in a hospital that follows the Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI).
This program provides training for health care workers. It provides a 10 steps checklist for staff to follow to give timely support for breastfeeding.
In Baby-Friendly hospitals, the 10 steps check list ensures that a mother is able to have:Skin to skin contact with her baby right after birthTime to breastfeed within the first hour of birthHer baby with her in the hospital room at all timesHelp to learn how to hand express milkInfant formula available when it is medically needed.
Also, Baby-Friendly hospitals buy all the infant formula that they use rather than accept free supplies from infant formula companies. They avoid having company supplies of gifts for new mothers. These gifts are things such as crib cards, soothers, baby care videos, or take home packages of infant formula. In the community, health care facilities such as public health offices, can also follow these ten steps to successful breastfeeding. Mothers then will get help to continue breastfeeding such as:Support to follow the baby's lead in feeding often Support in keeping her baby close by for night-time feedings Information on birth control that supports breastfeedingContacts with local groups of breastfeeding mothers Baby-Friendly Initiative comes out of a partnership of the World Health Organization (WHO) with UNICEF. The BFI provides ways to measure how well hospitals meet the 10-step checklist. There are 18 certified Baby-Friendly hospitals and health facilities in Canada. Many hospitals in Saskatchewan are working on becoming Baby-Friendly.
World Breastfeeding Week celebrations start in August. It continues into October in Canada. The theme this year is celebrating the success of the Baby-Friendly Initiative worldwide. Information can be found at w. For more information, contact your local Public Health Nurse or Public Health Nutritionist.Written by the Public Health Nutritionists of Saskatchewan and supported by Public Health, Sunrise Health Region. If you have any comments or questions please contact: Heather Torrie, Public Health Nutritionist, Sunrise Health Region, 150 Independent Street, Yorkton, Sask. S3N 0S7 or phone: 786-0600
