The Role of Universities
How universities can support implementation of the Baby Friendly standards
The Role of Universities in supporting implementation of Baby Friendly Standards
A case study by the Baby Friendly Initiative
Across the UK, an increasing number of university courses, including Midwifery, Health Visiting and Public Health Nursing, are embedding the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards[1] into their programmes. BFI’s standards for universities2 are designed to ensure that students graduate with the knowledge, skills and competence needed to support families with infant feeding and to help establish close and loving relationships with their baby.
This case study focuses on the role that Bournemouth University (A gold accredited course) is playing in driving forward and adding value to the implementation of the Baby Friendly standards in practice. Achieving Gold accreditation means that the course not only implements the Baby Friendly standards but also has the leadership, culture, and systems in place to sustain them over the long term.
Methodology
The research was conducted by UNICEF UK’s Research and Evaluation team. Between January and June 2023, three semi-structured interviews were undertaken with the Lead Midwife for Education/Baby Friendly Lead Lecturer and two Baby Friendly Leads working in local maternity services, all of whom had previously completed their midwifery training at Bournemouth University. In addition, a focus group was conducted in May 2024 with four midwifery students who had recently completed their studies.
Key findings:
- Baby Friendly University Accredited courses provide a dynamic learning environment that bridges theory and practice, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and competence to offer personalised support to families in infant feeding and fostering close, loving relationships.
- Graduates are prepared to deliver the Baby Friendly Standards, reducing the need for in-service training and ensuring advice and support is consistent across care settings.
- Graduates of baby friendly courses are playing a key role in leading implementation of the Baby friendly Standards.
A dynamic teaching environment bridges the link between theory and practice
Students at Bournemouth University are immersed in a dynamic teaching environment that aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This allows them to hone their knowledge, skills and competence over their three years of study, with a focus on enabling them to provide individualised support and evidence-based information in a non-judgemental manner.
For example, chiropractic and midwifery students are supported to work collaboratively and gain practical experience by leading an inter-professional newborn feeding clinic under the supervision of qualified practitioners. A key driver for establishing the clinic was to enable students to have quality one-to-one time with mothers and to apply the theories which underpin the Baby Friendly standards.
The Course lead explained: “Students work together to observe an entire breastfeed [in the clinic] and are encouraged to listen and to avoid interrupting. It’s about demonstrating and offering guidance – an approach which is very woman- and baby-centered and encompasses the Baby Friendly principles.”
Experience gained through exposure to these practical teaching methods supports students to gain an enhanced foundation of knowledge in the Baby Friendly Standards: The Lead Midwife for Education/Baby Friendly Lead Lecturer further commented:
“I see a huge difference to those that have gone through the Baby Friendly universities, to those that have not. They are prepared. They know the standards. They have that foundation of knowledge which is what you need before you embark on your midwifery career.”
Students echoed the positive impact of the Baby Friendly approach within their studies:
“Baby Friendly accreditation was one of the reasons I chose this course. It is such an important part of being a midwife. I don’t know how else you can give that information to woman and support them in their feeding journeys…Not all courses include this level of knowledge” – Final year student
We had really inspiring lectures that really opened my mind to this whole new world of breastfeeding and I felt like when I left those lectures, we could change the world.
Engaging in meaningful conversations
A fundamental principle of the Baby Friendly standards and key learning outcomes for students is that they will be able to facilitate meaningful conversations underpinned by compassionate communication and effective listening. This will enable them to understand individual circumstances and challenges confronting a mother/caregiver and develop personalised strategies to support their needs.
Students emphasised the importance of this approach:
“It’s not about just dictating to a woman about what you know. A better way is to find out what she knows and what she understands and what her background is so you can support her in the best possible way…. You want to make them feel heard.” – Final year student
“Reviewing active listening skills is helpful to find out what a mother’s goal is as well and how you can support that goal, and how you can address concerns together.” – Final Year Student
“We are partnering with them to get the best outcome to achieve their goal. Whichever way they choose to feed.” – Final year student
There was also an emphasis on practice underpinned by inclusive body language.
“Getting down on their level helps with that imbalance of power.” – Final year student
The impact of the Baby Friendly standards on care provision – Personalised and consistent support
Students emphasised how the implementation of the Baby Friendly standards enables a more consistent care experience. For example:
“What I like most is that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. If there’s another student who goes in, they’ve learnt the same as us and every woman will get the same advice from everybody that they work with.” – Final Year student
“I find it easier when I know that all of my peers have learnt the same thing. I know if X has been in a room with a woman, she is going to say exactly the same thing and give the same advice.” – Final year student
The Lead Midwife for Education/ Baby Friendly Lead Lecturer shared:
“Baby Friendly helps students to feel confident and competent to support women from very early on because it is in the curriculum. They develop skills in positioning and attachment and hand expressing whilst utilising a hands-off approach. The development of these core skills ensure that students can confidently support parents.”
For example, students complete a practical skills review in responsive bottle feeding aimed at supporting parents and primary caregivers who are bottle feeding, either with expressed human milk or infant formula, to recognise early newborn behavioural cues and to pace feed. Students are also supported to develop the knowledge, skills, and competence to advise parents on how to prepare infant formula feeds safely.
“We had so many opportunities to practise positioning and attachment and observe lecturers. Our Baby Friendly logbooks provide a reminder that you always have to hand.” -Final year student
Additionally, all new teaching staff attend a two-day induction programme that focusses exclusively on the Baby Friendly standards, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge and skills to fully embed the learning outcomes in their teaching.
“It is really important because when people qualify, they are at Baby Friendly Standards and hopefully they will change the status quo and reduce the number of people that have to be trained in the standards.”
Employability benefits of training in a Gold accredited university
Students identified two key employability benefits linked to completing their training in a Baby Friendly Gold accredited university, the first related to their preparedness/readiness for implementing the Baby Friendly standards and offering high standards of care and the second related to a reduced need for Baby Friendly training. For example, one student shared:
“More trusts are going for accreditation. I think having midwifery students that then go on to potentially work at the trust they trained in and that already have the BFI background is beneficial. We’ve been told that that they very much see the students as the backbone of a feeding team because they know we hit the ground running.” – Final year student
Students who have graduated from a Baby Friendly accredited course are well placed to be change makers and take on leadership roles in supporting and enabling the effective implementation of the Baby Friendly standards.
At least five graduates from Bournemouth University are now playing leadership roles in maternity services, specifically in infant feeding and implementation of Baby Friendly. Graduates also play a vital role in advocating for breastfeeding:
“I came from a formula feeding family culture. And I had never, ever even considered that I would ever breastfeed my baby…I was an 18-year-old student midwife coming straight from school and I had inspiring lectures and I started to see breastfeeding in a very different way and my mind was really blown by the sound science behind breast milk and its impact… I could see that the families desperately wanted that level and standard of care.” -Baby Friendly Lead 2, Maternity Unit
Conclusion
Embedding the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards within university curricula plays a pivotal role in preparing future midwives and health visitors/ to deliver consistent, evidence-based, and compassionate care. Bournemouth University’s Gold-accredited programme exemplifies how a dynamic learning environment—combining theory with hands-on practice—equips students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to support families in infant feeding and relationship building. Graduates leave ready to implement Baby Friendly standards, reducing the need for additional training and driving cultural change within maternity services. As one student noted, “Not all courses include this level of knowledge,” highlighting the unique value of Baby Friendly accreditation in shaping competent practitioners and future leaders committed to improving outcomes for babies and families.
[1] Theory of Change: Creating change for babies and children in the UK – Baby Friendly Initiative
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