WHO steps to successful breastfeeding?

Introduction
Breastfeeding is a vital aspect of infant nutrition and maternal health, providing numerous benefits for both mothers and babies. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established guidelines to support successful breastfeeding practices that can significantly impact public health. This article delves into the WHO’s steps to ensure successful breastfeeding, highlighting the importance of education, support, and community involvement.
Step 1: Ensure Access to Skilled Support
The WHO emphasizes the necessity of skilled support for breastfeeding mothers. This includes training healthcare professionals to provide accurate information and assistance in breastfeeding techniques. Access to knowledgeable practitioners—such as lactation consultants, midwives, and pediatricians—can empower mothers to initiate and maintain breastfeeding effectively.
Step 2: Promote Early Initiation
One of the key recommendations from the WHO is to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. This practice is crucial as it facilitates the early establishment of breastfeeding, enhances maternal-infant bonding, and ensures that newborns receive colostrum, which is rich in antibodies and nutrients. Early initiation can significantly reduce the risk of neonatal mortality and supports the baby’s immune system.
Step 3: Encourage Exclusive Breastfeeding
The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. This means that infants should receive only breast milk, with no additional food or drink, not even water. Exclusive breastfeeding during this period promotes optimal growth and development, reduces the risk of infections, and fosters a healthy gut microbiome. The WHO highlights that continued breastfeeding, alongside appropriate complementary foods, should be encouraged up to two years or beyond.
Step 4: Provide Ongoing Support
Support does not end after the initial breastfeeding period. The WHO urges healthcare systems to provide ongoing support to breastfeeding mothers. This includes regular check-ups, community programs, and access to breastfeeding groups where mothers can share experiences and challenges. Peer support is particularly valuable, as it creates a nurturing environment where mothers can find encouragement and solutions to common breastfeeding issues.
Step 5: Create a Supportive Environment
A supportive environment is crucial for successful breastfeeding. This involves policy-level interventions that promote breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and public spaces. The WHO advocates for laws that protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers, such as maternity leave and designated breastfeeding areas. Community awareness campaigns can also help normalize breastfeeding, encouraging societal support for nursing mothers.
Conclusion
The WHO’s steps to successful breastfeeding are designed to create a comprehensive support system for mothers and infants alike. By ensuring skilled support, promoting early initiation, encouraging exclusive breastfeeding, providing ongoing assistance, and fostering a supportive environment, the WHO aims to improve breastfeeding rates globally. These efforts not only benefit individual families but also contribute to the health and well-being of communities, ultimately leading to healthier generations.

Why were the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding written?

WHO and UNICEF launched the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in 1991 to help motivate facilities providing maternity and newborn services worldwide to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

WHO guidelines on milk?

WHO recommends that infants start receiving complementary foods at 6 months of age in addition to breast milk. Initially, they should receive complementary foods 2–3 times a day between 6–8 months and increase to 3–4 times daily between 9–11 months and 12–24 months.

How do drugs get into breast milk?

Drugs enter milk primarily by diffusion, but also by secretory methods. They pass from the maternal plasma compartment through the capillary walls into the alveolar cell lining the milk buds. They must generally pass through both walls of the alveolar cells to penetrate milk.

WHO recommends breastfeeding until age 2?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond.

What is the cup and spoon method?

spoon/cup feeding, allow the infant to pace the feed and lap from the spoon/cup: do not tip milk into the mouth. Allow the infant to swallow and pause to breathe frequently (4,5). Rest the tip of the spoon or the rim of the cup against the inside of the lower lip (4,5). when the baby stops actively lapping the milk.

What is the 3 step breastfeeding plan?

Triple feeding is when you breastfeed, then pump and use supplementing feeding methods all in the same session. Follow guidelines from pediatrician for quantity required for supplementation. In most cases the quantity recommended will be between 10-30 ml.

What are the steps that promote successful breastfeeding?

Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. Practice “rooming in” which allows mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours/day. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.

What is the WHO recommendation for breastfeeding?

WHO and UNICEF recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water. Infants should be breastfed on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night.

What determines successful breastfeeding?

Avoid teats, dummies, and complementary feeds
If your baby has fluids other than breast milk they will breastfeed less, and your breast milk supply will decrease. Frequent, unrestricted suckling at the breast will satisfy your baby and ensure that your milk supply continues to meet your baby’s needs.

How to make sure breastfeeding is successful?

Make sure the baby’s lips are flanged out (picture duck lips) and the chin is buried in the breast. The baby’s mouth should cover as much of the areola as possible, with your nipple farther inside the baby’s mouth. Try different positions to see which is most comfortable for you and your baby.