title: Trends in Baby-Friendly® Care in the United States: Historical Influences on Contemporary Care.
abstract: The protection that breast-feeding affords both mother and infant against acute and chronic illness is well documented. The grassroots, public health, and governmental supports for breast-feeding have influenced changes in maternal and newborn care. History indicates that the additional influence has come in the form of governmental workshops and initiatives, professional organizations, as well as The Joint Commission. This includes the influence that the Baby-Friendly® Hospital Initiative and the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding have had on infant care throughout the years. The requirements that hospitals must follow to implement all, or some, of the Ten Steps lead to change in care that not only increases breast-feeding rates but also leads to health improvements. This article reviews how an upward trend in the adoption of Baby-Friendly practices to support breast-feeding impacts infant care.
authors.affiliation: Education Department, Kent Hospital, Warwick, Rhode Island (Ms Salera-Vieira); and Lactation Department, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence (Ms Zembo).
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salera-Vieira
authors.forename: Cynthia T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Zembo
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000068101:Maternal-Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States