Stage 1: A firm foundation

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After gaining a Certificate of Commitment, Stage 1 of Baby Friendly accreditation requires facilities to develop the mechanisms to achieve the following standards.

Standards

Have written policies and guidelines to support the standards
Plan an education programme that will allow staff to implement the standards according to their role
Have processes for implementing, auditing and evaluating the standards
Ensure that there is no promotion of breastmilk substitutes, bottles, teats or dummies in any part of the facility or by any of the staff.

Once all the necessary documents have been written and the procedures for implementing the standards finalised, the Stage 1 guidance and application forms will guide you on how to apply for a Stage 1 assessment (see below for download links). Please note that in certain cases it is possible to move through this stage and enter directly into a Stage 2 assessment, particularly for neonatal units or children’s centres already working with the maternity or health visiting service.

Resources to help you meet the standards

Dedicated guidance and application forms for Stage 1 are available via the download links below. Universities should visit the dedicated section on our website.

More detailed information on how to meet the standards is in our Guide to the Baby Friendly Initiative standards and the guidance documents for neonatal units and children’s centres.
Our guide for health professionals to working within the Code will give you useful advice on avoiding inappropriate promotion of breastmilk substitutes within your facility.
You can view our sample infant feeding policies and guidance and adapt them for your use.
Our guidance on writing a training curriculum will assist in drafting a curriculum and planning your breastfeeding training programme effectively.
Those implementing the standards and delivering the training may find the Train the Trainer course useful. All members of staff may benefit from attending a Breastfeeding and Relationship Building course.
You can also purchase the relevant audit tool for your facility from us.
Finally, guidance on antenatal and postnatal conversations give useful advice on effective communication.

When you decide that you are ready to be assessed for Stage 1, please contact the Baby Friendly Initiative office to discuss the preparations to be made and to schedule an assessment date.