The Baby-Friendly Initiative
What is the Baby-Friendly Initiative?
The Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) is an internationally recognized system of measuring and maintaining breastfeeding support in hospitals and community health facilities. Created by Unicef and the World Health Organization in 1991, the BFI outlines ten evidenced-based steps for hospitals and community health centres to optimally support maternal-child health for all mothers and babies. The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC) is our national authority for supporting breastfeeding families. For a facility to achieve the Baby Friendly Designation from the BCC, it must have a breastfeeding policy, support consistent breastfeeding education for all staff, go through a rigorous assessment process, and plan to maintain all Ten Steps and follow the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes as outlined by the BFI.
Baby-Friendly Designation benefits mothers, babies, families, healthcare workers, facilities and the community at large. In Baby-Friendly facilities, families can expect consistent information and support based on evidence-based research and best practice. Health professionals are empowered with knowledge and skills necessary to support mothers to continue their chosen method of feeding for as long as they wish.
Are you a physician, nurse or health care provider/clinician?
This recent video (2023) presentation shares how you can influence positive breastfeeding outcomes!
Thank you for the work you do supporting families.
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Saskatchewan Breastfeeding Matters, along with other stakeholders, has been dedicated to promoting the Baby Friendly Initiative since 1991 . In 2009, the partnership of Breastfeeding Matters and West Winds Primary Health Centre (WWPHC) was awarded a Health Promotion Grant from Public Health Services to prepare WWPHC for pre-assessment, the first stage of acquiring Baby-Friendly designation. Saskatchewan Breastfeeding Matters oversaw the grant work and collaborated with WWPHC partners and agencies as they progressed through the steps needed to meet BFI criteria. Support continued as WWPHC prepared for the final evaluation in 2011.
We were proud to celebrate successful Baby-Friendly Designation for WWPHC in October 2011, and renewed in 2016 and 2022. In association with the University of Saskatchewan Family Medicine Unit, the WWPHC is the first facility in the Prairie Provinces to achieve this designation. Breastfeeding Matters will continue to support WWPHC while working collaboratively through the Baby Friendly Coalition to pursue the same status for the new Children’s Hospital and the Saskatoon Health Region as a whole.
Maternal Child Health Newsletters:
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Let your voice be heard (in the spirit of positive progress forward:
• Write letters to Saskatchewan Health Authority’s local hospital encouraging them to fully embrace the Baby Friendly Initiative
• Attend Breastfeeding Matters meetings
• Attend BFI Coalition meetings (contact us)
• Share your stories, successes and challenges, at committee meetings, on our Mama-Stories. Your story can be a catalyst for change!
• Stay posted for progress on Human Milk Banking
• Share your talents (we are always in need of volunteers talented in marketing, communications, the arts, health care, politics, baking, business, education, administration, computer sciences, financing, law, etc. etc.!)
• Share your contacts - Help us to connect with other community organizations
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