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C&C DHB celebrates Baby Friendly Status
C&C DHB has achieved Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) status at all three of its maternity service sites.
The status means that wherever a woman gives birth in our district – at Wellington Hospital, Kenepuru Community Hospital, or Kapiti Health Centre – those who care for her and her baby have adopted practices that aim to protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding from birth. At the same time, we ensure that women who choose not to breastfeed are supported in their decision and provided with unbiased information and advice.
C&C DHB underwent an audit of processes in its maternity units and it was subsequently recommended that each site be re-accredited. The achievement shows all three sites have maintained their very high standards since first being accredited in 2004.
The BFHI was launched in 1991 by UNICEF and the World Health Organization in an effort to encourage maternity units to become centres of breastfeeding support.
The main purpose of BFHI is to:
- Actively protect, promote, encourage and support breastfeeding through education of health care workers in maternity and neonatal services.
- Accredit hospitals that demonstrate that they meet the WHO/UNICEF criteria as a Baby Friendly Hospital.
The goals of BFHI are to work with maternity services to implement the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and to end the distribution of free and low-cost supplies of breast milk substitutes to hospitals and health care facilities.
Since the programme began, more mothers are breastfeeding their babies and as a consequence, experts believe child health has improved in the areas where BFHI has been implemented.
Kapiti Health Centre celebrated its achievement in October 2007, while Kenepuru Community Hospital and Wellington Hospital are holding a celebration at their respective sites on April 30th.
See below for extracts of the report on Wellington Hospital prepared by the assessment team.