WHO directives call for support for breastfeeding
Context
Health facilities requested to follow 10 important guidelines
What has happened?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday issued a new 10-step guidance to increase support for breastfeeding in health facilities that provide maternity and newborn services, which provide the immediate health system platform to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour and breastfeed exclusively for six months
Fact check
Written breastfeeding policy: The guidelines describe how hospitals should have a written breastfeeding policy in place, required staff competencies, and antenatal and post-birth care, including breastfeeding support for mothers
Educating the parents: It also recommends limited use of breast milk substitutes, rooming-in, responsive feeding, educating parents on the use of bottles and pacifiers, and support when mothers and babies are discharged from hospital
