Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)

Goals of BFHI:
1. To transform facilities providing maternity services to baby friendly hospitals through implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
2. Stricter implementation of Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) marketing regulation ordinance in the hospitals by hospital administration as well as by ALL its staff members.
Steps for converting to Baby-Friendly hospital:
1. BFHI training of the maternity staff of the hospital: The Trainer will be conducted 4 days log 20 hour BFHI training on Breastfeeding Promotion and Support for the maternity doctors and nurses of the respective hospitals.
2. Half day orientation session: The core trainers will also conduct a half day orientation session for doctors of other discipline and well as orientation for the other staff members (pharmacists, messengers, ward boys, ayahs, cleaners etc)
3. Practices 10 steps: Once all the staff members have received training on breastfeeding, IYCF and maternal nutrition, it is expected all the hospital staff members, auxiliary/ancillary staff will start practicing the 10 steps of successful breastfeeding in their hospitals.
4. Self assessment appraisal: After starting of practice of 10 steps (15 steps for Bangladesh) hospital will conduct a self assessment and inform their status to BBF and will ask for assessment.
5. External assessment: After completion of self assessment, the external assessment will be conducted by one International assessor and 2 national assessors with “Global standard External Hospital assessment tool” which will examine the fulfillment of the ten steps. The two day long assessment will be performed which will include interview with maternity staff, pregnant mothers, post natal mothers.
6. BFHI committee: A BFHI committee consisting of 7 members will be formed headed by Hospital authority. They will meet three monthly to review and internal monitoring of the BFH status and also send report to BBF secretariat.
7. Certification: Finally BBF will be declare & certified the hospital into BFHI.