Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Essay Example

mothers on the advantage and care of breastfeeding •Assist mothers to start breastfeeding in between one hour of birth. •Demonstrate how to breastfeed and how to care of lactation, even if they are away from their newborn. •Do not give food or drink to the newborn other then breast milk, unless expect that is medically signified. •Practice “rooming in” let mothers and newborn to stay together 24 hours a day. •Promote unlimited breastfeeding •Not to give pacifiers or fake nipples to infants Promote the organization of breastfeeding support team and refer the mothers to them Breast milk is organic for babies.

A living material that is superior to formulated milk. Breastfeeding allows a mother to supply their baby with all the needs for growth and development. Breast milk is highly nutritional and easier to digest compared to artificial milk. This allows the babies digestive system to develop. The nutrients in breast milk helps prevent illness and protect against common child health disease and infections. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers in many ways such as reduces the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Moreover, breastfeeding helps the mother contract their uterus this process takes place when the baby is sucking and the body releases hormone to contract the uterus. With breastfeeding the mothers gets to feel the closeness with the baby due to the skin to skin contact. According to (Anderson et al 1999) babies that are breastfed is associated with higher cognitive improvement. It also supported by another research by (Jacobson et al 1999) that with breastfeeding the IQ level of the child is significantly higher than the children that are not breastfed. Other than that, a

child that is breastfed has better immune system.

The frequency of children that are admitted to hospital with respiratory syncytial virus infections is radically lower. This suggests that breast milk has advantages than artificial milks (Downham et al 1976). In a study (Chantry et al 2006) analyzed children that are fully breastfed for 6 months have decreased risk for respiratory tract infection. A study with 32 000 Scottish children showed that obesity in childhood can be also decreased with breastfeeding. (Armstrong et al 2002). To develop to become a BFH is a process that begins with the hospital assessment.

This early self-assessment will guide to study of the practices that support or hinder breastfeeding, and then act to make the essential changes. Therefore it follows the triple a sequence (Assessment, Analysis, and Action) which characterizes other UNICEF Programmed development. Once the hospital has met the standards, this attainment will be confirmed by using the agreed global standard which protects, promotes and supports breastfeeding. Therefore it can be concluding with an evaluation if the hospital has obtained the rank where by the BFH Certificate can be honored.

In a BFH you can expect a model of care according to the principles set by WHO and UNICEF, care that you are expected to receive while your pregnant is a healthcare staff having a consultation on how to care and feed your baby and also the advantages of breastfeeding. Besides that, you will also have the opportunity to hold the baby as soon as birth with no time limit. A midwife will volunteer to help with the breastfeeding the first half hour of the birth and your newborn will be placed

with you through out.

If a mother that has been placed in a BFH decides to breastfed a midwife will assist them through the process. Firstly, they will demonstrate how to hold your baby and how to clinch the mouth to the nipple so sufficient milk will be received. Next the midwife will show how to squeeze your milk with hand, no artificial milk or any kind fluid will be administered to the baby unless for certain medical conditions if prescribed by doctor. Lastly, materials and information needed to support your breastfeeding even after discharge will be given.

Since this BFH has been initiated there been many opinions and thoughts that have been brought up. According to (Mcinnes & Tappin 1996) in Britain the government offers more financial support to mother who choose to bottle fed. Mothers who breast fed get less milk token and mothers who bottle fed get double. Where else, in a research done by (Reddina et al 2007) the time pressure and outdated practices that impacted to the 10 steps and thus fail to provide mothers with the excellent possible care related to breastfeeding.

Meanwhile, in an article (Malik & Cutting 1998) commented that the initiative should be established to the whole primary care team and not restricted just to hospitals. The authors go on saying that most hospitals in Britain have breast feeding plan that comprise at least some of the 10 steps of successful breastfeeding and awareness about it continues to grow. On the other hand, (Broadfoot et al 2005) carried out a research that result shows that babies that were born in UK BFH were 28% more possibly to be exclusively

breast fed at 7 days of postnatal compared than to those in other maternity wards.

The author adds that since 1995, the breast feeding ratio has increased drastically faster in BFH. Facts from urbanized countries specify that the BFHI has a direct impact on the rates of breastfeeding in hospitals (Brittion et al 2009). Further more, in a study that been carry out by (Sheryl & Miriam 2009) the BFHI was correlated with the increase of exclusive breast feeding in countries under study. With evidence of the researches done it’s clear that BFHI has a great impact in the healthcare practice today.

According to one of the large randomized controlled trial involving 31 hospital in Belarus that an intervention based on BFHI ethics has increased breast feeding rate in the first year of infants life (Kramer et al 2001) Needless to say, breastfeeding is one of the efficient way to reduce child morbidity and mortality (Jones & et al 2003) with more hospital adapting the BFHI its publicity and programs have increased public awareness the advantages of breastfeeding. Today, there are several factors challenging the full implementation of BFHI.

Most mothers wants best for their babies and tend to be very curios the nurses should be competed enough to provide information needed. Besides that, lack of public awareness about the advantages of breastfeeding can lead to failure of this initiative. Nursing models when used as it should be will be guidance for nurses working in certain areas, such as it would be helping them identify the reason behind the actions. It will also direct them in making choices thus decreasing dispute among the teams.

This will revolve in continuing

and reliability of nursing care received by patients. Pearson et al, 1996). The introduction of nursing models have brought significant benefits to the nurses, patients and profession. Models of nursing that can be related to the BFHI hospital is the theory by Klaus and Kennel that discuss about bonding immediately after birth. The BFH basically where initiated with this as the concept. As stated before, a BFH believes in rooming-in as soon as birth. In a BFH a newborn is breastfed within an hour of birth. It not only allows mother and infant bonding but it’s a skin to skin contact that can be helpful for breastfeeding.

With bonding the infant feels more comforted and gets use to the smell of the mother. The other nursing theory that can be associated with BFHI is maternal role attainment by Reva Rubin(1967) which focuses on four maternal tasks that a pregnant woman face during pregnancy which are seeking safe passage, making sure the child is accepted , binding in or bonding and learning to give of oneself. This can be applied as BFH works with health-care to guarantee pregnant women have a safe delivery and breastfeeds the baby to give the best to the newborn.

In implementing the BFHI the following suggestion can be applied such as organize a process within the hospital and staffs for a responsible team, encouraging staff to maintain to the ten steps of successful breastfeeding. There must be training and retraining so the staff provides care that is up to date. Besides that, a team up with WHO and UNICEF for assessment of the hospital to make sure the principles of BFHI is followed.

Other than that, the BFHI should be expanded to more hospitals globally.

In conclusion, the BFHI is one of the most beneficial initiatives that can improve the care received by a mother and newborn. It helps in providing mothers needed information, self-assurance and ability needed to achieve breastfeeding for their babies and gives acknowledgement to the hospital that has assisted the mother through the process. The policies of the ten steps of successful breastfeeding should be revised to provide optimal care for the newborn. The benefits of BFHI as proven is with more mothers’ breastfeeding the infant death and disease rate can be reduced in a global scale. Besides that, more campaigns should be held around to upgrade public awareness. More hospital with BFH certificate should be available to the public.

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2777851/pdf/1746-4358-4-11.pdf

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/4/525.full

http://www.bmj.com/content/2/6030/274.full.pdf+html