title: Achieving baby-friendly designation: step-by-step.
abstract: The recent Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding reinforces the important role breastfeeding has in the health of mothers and babies. It identifies the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative as a strategy that encompasses practices that result in better breastfeeding outcomes. Currently there are approximately 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals worldwide; however, only 125 of them are in the United States. This number is likely to increase with the renewed focus on breastfeeding. To achieve Baby-Friendly designation, hospitals and birthing centers must successfully implement the Baby-Friendly Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, evidence-based guidelines designed to promote and support breastfeeding in maternity settings. The purpose of this article is to share specific strategies we used to successfully implement each of the Baby-Friendly Ten Steps and improve our support and assistance of breastfeeding mothers and infants.
authors.affiliation: NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. Karen.Goodman@NYUMC.org
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DiFrisco
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012944:Social Support