Enabling health professionals to support mothers and babies
The Baby Friendly Initiative is a worldwide programme of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. It was established in 1992 to encourage maternity hospitals to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and to practise in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. In the UK, we also work to implement the Seven Point Plan for Sustaining Breastfeeding in the Community and run a University Standards programme for midwifery and health visiting courses.
The health and well-being of all babies is at the heart of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative. A strong mother-baby relationship is the foundation for a baby’s future health and wellbeing. Breastfeeding supports this loving bond and makes a vital difference to health.
We work with UK public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships. Support for these relationships is important for all babies, not only those who are breastfed.
We are currently introducing new standards that reflect new evidence and best practice, which you can read here, and which will be incorporated into our assessment procedure during 2013-14. The website will be updated in stages during this process.
