Initiation of Breastfeeding

Initiation of breastfeeding within the 1st hour of birth is the first and most vital step towards reducing infant and under-five mortality,

by reducing the overwhelmingly high neonatal mortality rate. Save ONE

million babies – beginning with one action, one hour support and one

message: beginning breastfeeding within the 1st hour of birth!

(Ghozan Yuk Sinau …)

From: http://breastcrawl.org

UNICEF, WHO and WABA along with the scientific community
strongly recommend initiating breastfeeding within an hour of birth.
Evidence shows that early initiation can prevent 22% of all deaths
among babies below one month in developing countries.

Every newborn, when placed on the mother’s abdomen, soon after birth,
has the ability to find its mother’s breast all on its own and to decide
when to take the first breastfeed. This is called the ‘Breast Crawl’.

Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infant 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 mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth.
   
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their infants.
   
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.
   
7. Practice rooming-in – allow mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.
   
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
   
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
   
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic