Mastering Motherhood- UNICEF’s Top Ten Strategies for Unwavering Breastfeeding Success
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has developed a comprehensive guide titled “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” This guide serves as a roadmap for healthcare providers, policymakers, and parents to ensure that every child has the best chance to receive the optimal nutrition and health benefits that breastfeeding provides.
Breastfeeding is a natural and instinctive process, but it can also be challenging. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are designed to support mothers in their breastfeeding journey and to create an enabling environment for breastfeeding. These steps are based on evidence and are recognized worldwide as the standard for promoting and supporting breastfeeding.
Here are the ten steps outlined by UNICEF:
1. Have a Skilled Birth Attendant Present at Birth: A skilled birth attendant can provide essential support during labor and delivery, ensuring that the mother and baby are both in the best position for successful breastfeeding.
2. Give the Baby Only Breast Milk Without Supplements: The baby should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, providing all the nutrients they need without any supplements or formula.
3. Start Breastfeeding Within One Hour of Birth: Early initiation of breastfeeding helps establish a good milk supply and promotes bonding between mother and baby.
4. Support Breastfeeding on Demand: Breastfeeding should be on demand, meaning that the baby should be fed whenever they show signs of hunger.
5. Ensure Adequate Rest, Nutrition, and Hygiene for the Mother: A healthy mother is more likely to be able to breastfeed successfully. Adequate rest, nutrition, and hygiene are essential for her well-being.
6. Encourage Skin-to-Skin Contact: Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth can help regulate the baby’s temperature, heart rate, and breathing, and can also facilitate breastfeeding.
7. Give No Pacifiers or Bottles: Pacifiers and bottles can interfere with breastfeeding and should be avoided until the baby is at least six months old.
8. Practice “Rooming-In”: The baby should be kept with the mother, allowing for 24-hour rooming-in, which can improve breastfeeding success.
9. Give Breastfeeding Education: Education about breastfeeding should be provided to all mothers, including the benefits of breastfeeding, how to breastfeed, and how to recognize signs of hunger and fullness in the baby.
10. Support Breastfeeding After Discharge: Healthcare providers should continue to support breastfeeding after the mother and baby are discharged from the hospital or birthing center.
Implementing these steps can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of mothers and infants. Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of many diseases, including infections, allergies, and obesity. It also provides emotional and psychological benefits for both mother and child.
UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding is a powerful tool that can help create a supportive environment for breastfeeding. By following these steps, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive the best possible start in life through the gift of breastfeeding.
