Scribd
Upload
555 views6 pages

To Ensure That Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Program Is

This document outlines a breastfeeding policy for a hospital. The policy aims to (1) ensure women are informed of breastfeeding benefits and risks of formula feeding to make an informed choice, (2) enable more women to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months, and (3) encourage consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding information from all staff. The policy promotes breastfeeding as optimal, supports rooming-in of mothers and babies, and prohibits promotion of breastmilk substitutes in accordance with legal mandates including the WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. All staff must undergo training, pregnant women education, and mothers support upon discharge is emphasized.

Uploaded by

Glenn L. Ravanilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
555 views6 pages

To Ensure That Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Program Is

This document outlines a breastfeeding policy for a hospital. The policy aims to (1) ensure women are informed of breastfeeding benefits and risks of formula feeding to make an informed choice, (2) enable more women to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months, and (3) encourage consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding information from all staff. The policy promotes breastfeeding as optimal, supports rooming-in of mothers and babies, and prohibits promotion of breastmilk substitutes in accordance with legal mandates including the WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. All staff must undergo training, pregnant women education, and mothers support upon discharge is emphasized.

Uploaded by

Glenn L. Ravanilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

BREASTFEEDING POLICY

1 Purpose
To ensure that Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Program is
institutionalized in order to set standards for the protection, promotion and support
of breastfeeding, rooming-in, mother-baby friendly practices and the Milk Code, in the
pursuit of an individualized, quality maternity and newborn care services.
11 Aims of the Policy
1. To ensure the health benefits of breastfeeding and the potential health risks
associated with formula feeding are discussed with all women and their
families, so they can make an informed choice about how they will feed their
babies.
2. To enable the hospital staff to create an environment where more women
choose to breastfeed their babies, and are given sufficient information and
support to enable them to breastfeed exclusively for six months and then as
part of their infants diet beyond the first year of life.
3. To
encourage
consistent
comprehensive and evidence based breastfeeding
information to parents by all hospital health care staff.
4. To adhere to the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes, E.O. 51.
5. To demonstrate a commitment to breastfeeding by seeking MBFHI accreditation.
III - Policy Statements
The Dr. Fernando B. Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital recognizes and supports the
importance of creating and delivering a healthcare environment where breastfeeding
is encouraged , promoted and supported by all staff to parents.
The Mother Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative - hospital breastfeeding policy
promotes, supports and encourages breastfeeding as the optimal way for a woman
to feed her baby. DFBDSMH acknowledges that breastfeeding offers important health
benefits for both the mother and child.
The policy recognizes that mothers have the right to receive clear and
impartial information to enable them to make a fully informed choice as to how
they feed and care for their babies after birth.
Hospital staff who are nursing mothers are entitled to lactation breaks and
management
support
consistent
with
DOHs
Workplace
and
Guidelines
for
Breastfeeding.

11 - Legal Mandates
The following laws and administrative issuances and Ten Steps to Successful
(WHO/UNICEF) are the basis/foundation of these policies and practices.

1. Executive Order No.51 National Code of Marketing of Breast milk


Substitutes, Breast milk Supplements and Related Products
2. Republic Act No. 7600 Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992
3. Republic Act No. 10028 Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of
2009
4. Article 24 of the 1989, United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child.
5. The Philippine and Infant
and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Policy,
adopted from the WHO and UNICEF 2002 Global Strategy on Infant
and Young Child Feeding.
6. PHIC Circular No. 26, series of 2005 included the Mother- Baby Friendly
Initiative , as part of its accreditation requirements for all hospitals, in order to
encourage, support and promote breastfeeding in the primary, secondary and
tertiary levels of hospital facilities, recognizing that breastfeeding is essential
for the health and well-being if the infant and the mother.

111 - Scope and Coverage


All DFBDSMH staff are required to adhere to the MBFHI Breastfeeding
policy to devoid conflicting advice. Any deviation from the policy must be justified
and recorded as a variance of care in the mothers and/or the babys medical record.
The MBFHI Breastfeeding policy shall be used by all hospital staff in
conjunction with the WHO/UNICEF Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding
and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding.
The policy is directed to mothers and their newborn.
The policy will be reviewed every three (3) years.
IV - Principles and Guidelines
The Mother Baby Friendly Initiative Breastfeeding policy principles reflect
the key elements of the Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding and the Mother
Friendly Indicators (DOH-AO No. 2007-0026).

A. General Policy
1. All hospital staff shall undergo orientation on breastfeeding policy during
department level meetings.

2. Hospital staff who is directly involved in the care of pregnant women,


lactating mothers and infants shall be trained on the 20-Hour
Breastfeeding and Lactation Management. New staff shall undergo of the
said training, within 6 months of commencing work if not yet trained. The

role of the facility and its staff in upholding the Milk Code (EO 51) shall
be included in the training.
Non-clinical staff shall undergo an Orientation on Breastfeeding, covering topics
on: importance of supporting breastfeeding, birth practices that supports
breastfeeding, Milk Code and Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding.
3. Students of affiliating schools and their clinical instructors shall undergo
orientation on breastfeeding policy, rooming-in, birth practices, milk code
and their role in its implementation.
4. All pregnant women who wants to avail of the ante-natal services shall
attend 3 to 4 sessions of the breastfeeding class/mothers class, every
Monday and Wednesday, 9:00 am - 9:30 am at the OB Triage.
5. Pregnant women and/or lactating mothers (and husband companion and/or
family member) shall be taught regarding breastfeeding/infant feeding
policy, basic breastfeeding management and practices (skin to skin
contact, rooming-in, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, demand feeding,
proper positioning and attachment, myths and fallacies of breastfeeding,
breast and nipple conditions, risks of giving supplements during the first
6 months ) and Essential Intrapartum Newborn Care
(EINC)
protocol.
6. Pamphlets containing breastfeeding instructions shall be distributed to mother in
the post -partum ward.
7. Before discharge , support services available in the community shall be
discussed with each mother.
8. The hospital shall coordinate with mother support groups and/or other
community services that provide infant feeding support. Mothers shall be
referred to them upon discharge for follow-up.

B. Breastfeeding and Rooming-in


1. Newborn babies shall be placed in uninterrupted, unhurried skin to skin
contact with their mothers for at least 30 - 60 minutes immediately after
birth for normal spontaneous delivery (NSD) and within 3 4 hours after
birth or as soon as the mother is responsive and alert
for Caesarean
Section (CS), or the relatives shall do the skin to skin. Babies who are
not stable immediately after birth shall receive skin to skin contact later
when they are stable.
2. The clinical staff shall help the mother to initiate breastfeeding within 30
minutes after birth. Further assistance shall be offered on the technique of
proper positioning in breastfeeding and attachment.
3. The clinical staff shall teach/demonstrate to the mother (especially with
babies in

the NICU) to do hand expression of breast milk ( push, press, release


technique ) at least 6 8 times in 24 hours to maintain the milk supply
and how to give expressed milk to babies.
4. Newborn babies shall be exclusively breastfeed or exclusively fed
expressed breast milk from birth to discharge.
5. Giving of pre-lacteal feeds ( water, herbal preparations ) and vitamins shall
be strictly prohibited.
6. Supplements/replacement feeds shall be given to babies only if medically
indicated and reasons for supplementation are properly documented.
7. All mothers and babies shall be roomed-in together immediately after
birth, 24 hours a day, except for a period of one hour for hospital
procedures or separation is justifiable with written documentation.
8. For mothers who have had Caesarean Section, the baby shall be roomedin within 3 4 hours or earlier as soon as the mother is fully awake.
9. Initiation of breastfeeding shall be done within one hour after birth for
normal spontaneous deliveries and 3 - 4 hours after birth for Caesarean
Section (CS) deliveries.
10. Baby-led feeding or demand feeding shall be practiced to all babies. No
restrictions are placed on the frequency or duration of breastfeeding.

C.

Milk Code
1.
2.

3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

Promotion in the facility of breast milk substitutes, feeding bottles,


pacifier, teats or dummies shall be strictly prohibited.
Feeding bottles, artificial teats, pacifiers or dummies shall be strictly
prohibited to breastfeeding infants. Mothers shall be informed of the risks
in using it.
Security guards shall check the bags and other milk containers of
admitted pregnant women, infants and has the authority to confiscate it.
Hospital staff shall be prohibited to receive any gifts/samples, offered by
manufacturers or distributors as well as the representatives of the milk
companies.
Hospital staff shall refrain from accepting or availing of any contribution
made by the representatives of the milk industry for fellowships, study
tours, research grants, attendance to professional conferences or the like,
intended to the health workers or the management staff of the health
facility.
Hospital staff and/or medical representatives of milk companies shall be
prohibited to give samples of milk formula or gifts to pregnant women,
mothers of infant and young children and members of their families that
will undermine breastfeeding.
Display in the facility or distribution to mothers of any materials that
recommend feeding breast milk substitutes and other inappropriate
practices shall be strictly prohibited.

D. Mother-Friendly Care

1. Pregnant women shall be allowed to have companions of their choice


during labor and birth to provide physical and emotional support.
2. Pregnant women shall be allowed to drink and eat light foods during
labor, if desired, relative to their obstetrical/medical
and upon the
discretion of the physicians.
3. Pregnant women shall be allowed to walk and move about during labor, if
desired and shall assume the positions of their choice while giving birth
(unless restrictions are required for medical reasons ); such options shall
not be limited to the lithotomy positions.
4. Obstetric care shall not routinely involved invasive procedures ( such as
rupture of membranes or episiotomies ), acceleration or induction of labor,
or instrumental deliveries or Caesarean Section, unless medically indicated.
5. Post - partum mothers together with her babies shall be encouraged to
have at least two (2) postpartum visits, one month apart to know
whether babies are exclusively breastfeed.
6. Hospital staff shall be taught the non-drug methods of pain relief unless
analgesic or anesthetic drugs are necessary because of complications and
respecting the personal preference of the women.
7. Nursing mother employees shall be granted two additional breaks interval
( in addition to the regular time-off for meals ) to allow mothers to
breastfeed or express breast milk. Such interval shall not be less than
forty (40) minutes for every eight (8) hour working period and shall be
counted as compensable hours worked.
Prepared by:
Evangeline A. Nicolas, R.N.
Nurse 111 Coordinator, Hospital Public Health Programs

Approved:
Edgar F. Garcia Jr., M.D., M.H.A.
Provincial Health Officer 11

You might also like