UNICEF UK today welcomed news that breastfeeding rates in the UK have increased, but warned that policies to support breastfeeding must become universal across the NHS if this good work is to continue.

“We must congratulate all those within the NHS who have been striving to improve care provided for breastfeeding mothers,” said Sue Ashmore, Director, UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative. “These results are testament to their hard work in adopting best practice.”

The Department of Health’s National Infant Feeding Survey, released today, has found that the number of mothers choosing to breastfeed their baby (76%) is higher than it has been for many decades.

The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative has trained more than 10,000 health professionals in the last five years in breastfeeding management: the benefits, how to help mothers who want to breastfeed, how to prevent and overcome problems, and also how to ensure that all staff in a unit are trained to this high level so that every mother receives that same high standards of care.

In July 2006 the NICE postnatal care guidelines recommended that every maternity unit should implement the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative, as independent research has shown it to systematically improve breastfeeding rates.

Hospitals or Community Services are given the coveted Baby Friendly Award only after they have passed a rigorous assessment by UNICEF staff, which ensures that policies to promote breastfeeding are in place, and that all staff who come into contact with mothers have been trained in breastfeeding best practice.

There are currently 51 fully accredited Baby Friendly maternity units across the UK, and a further 74 which have reached the part-way stage and gained a Certificate of Commitment. But there are only eight fully accredited Community Services, which highlights a lack of support for breastfeeding women to continue breastfeeding.

Sue Ashmore said: “The challenge is clear: all parts of the NHS must follow the NICE recommendation to implement best practice around breastfeeding – both in hospitals and in the community. Only then will we ensure every mother has the option to give her baby the best start in life.”

In order to gain the Baby Friendly Award, hospitals must implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. These are:

• Step 1: Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff.
  
  
• Step 2: Train all healthcare staff in the skills necessary to implement the breastfeeding policy.
  
  
• Step 3: Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
  
  
• Step 4: Help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth.
  
  
• Step 5: Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their babies.
  
  
• Step 6: Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated, or requested by the mother having been given full information and informed choice.
  
  
• Step 7: Practice rooming-in, allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
  
  
• Step 8: Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
  
  
• Step 9: Give no artificial teats or dummies to breastfeeding infants.
  
• Step 10: Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Wednesday (16 May) UNICEF will join a wide coalition of organizations to launch the Breastfeeding Manifesto, a document containing seven policy ‘asks’ of Government that evidence shows could have a dramatic impact in increasing breastfeeding rates in the UK

For further information about the Baby Friendly Initiative please contact Sarah Vincent in the UNICEF UK media relations office on 07814 447935 or email sarahv@unicef.org.uk