"In summary, WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life. Thereafter, local, nutritious foods should be introduced, while breastfeeding continues for up to two years or beyond. Followup formula is therefore unnecessary. In addition, follow-up formula is not a suitable substitute for breast milk, due to its content."

WHO: Information concerning the use and marketing of follow-up formula - pdf, 165kb - 17 July 2013

See: Did you ever wonder what's in... ? Breastmilk - Formula - download pdf

WHO and UNICEF launched the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to help motivate facilities providing maternity and newborn services worldwide to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The Ten Steps summarize a package of policies and procedures that facilities providing maternity and newborn services should implement to support breastfeeding. WHO has called upon all facilities providing maternity and newborn services worldwide to implement the Ten Steps.

The implementation guidance for BFHI emphasizes strategies to scale up to universal coverage and ensure sustainability over time. The guidance focuses on integrating the programme more fully in the health-care system, to ensure that all facilities in a country implement the Ten Steps. Countries are called upon to fulfill nine key responsibilities through a national BFHI programme:

There is substantial evidence that implementing the Ten Steps significantly improves breastfeeding rates. A systematic review of 58 studies on maternity and newborn care published in 2016 demonstrated clearly that adherence to the Ten Steps impacts early initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth, exclusive breastfeeding and total duration of breastfeeding.

Why it is important to share and act on this information

Babies who are breastfed are generally healthier and achieve optimal growth and development compared to those who are fed formula milk.

Breastmilk makes the world healthier, smarter, and more equal: these are the conclusions of a new Lancet Series on breastfeeding. The deaths of 823,000 children and 20,000 mothers each year could be averted through universal breastfeeding, along with economic savings of US$300 billion. The Series confirms the benefits of breastfeeding in fewer infections, increased intelligence, probable protection against overweight and diabetes, and cancer prevention for mothers. The Series represents the most in-depth analysis done so far into the health and economic benefits that breastfeeding can produce. - The Lancet

Infants who are not breastfed are at an increased risk of illness that can compromise their growth and raise the risk of death or disability. Breastfed babies receive protection from illnesses through the mother's milk.

Breastfeeding is the natural and recommended way of feeding all infants, even when artificial feeding is affordable, clean water is available, and good hygienic conditions for preparing and feeding infant formula exist.

If a mother is HIV-positive, there is a risk that she can transmit HIV to her baby through breastfeeding. Counselling can help her carefully weigh the risks and make an informed decision on which feeding option is best for her baby and most manageable for her.

Almost every mother can breastfeed successfully. All mothers, particularly those who might lack the confidence to breastfeed, need the encouragement and practical support of the baby's father and their families, friends and relatives. Health workers, community workers, women's organizations and employers can also provide support.

Everyone has the right to information about the benefits of breastfeeding and the risks of artificial feeding. Governments have a responsibility to provide this information. Communities as well as media and other channels of communication can play a key role in promoting breastfeeding.

“What if governments had a proven, cost-effective way to save babies’ lives, reduce rates of malnutrition, support children’s health, increase educational attainment and grow productivity?

They do: It’s called breastfeeding. And it is one of the best investments nations can make in the lives and futures of their youngest members – and in the long-term strength of their societies.”

– Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director

2017 Maternal Health campaign

We recently partnered with Mediaplanet UK on the 2017 Maternal Health campaign in The Guardian newspaper and online. Read motivating insight from thought leaders and learn more about what it takes collectively to reduce maternal mortality. #GlobalMaternalHealth #MaternalHealth Bridging the Knowledge Gap: Educating Mothers to Help Them and Their Children Live. Mobile phones are the surprising tool improving maternal health One of the most powerful relationships in global health and development is between a mother’s education and her child’s chances of survival. Simply put: “The more educated a mother, the less likely her child is to die. … Behind every preventable child death is a disempowered mother” says Leith Greenslade, Co-Chair of Child Health, MDG Health Alliance.

HealthPhone™ Poshan | Nutrition Mobile Apps
	Get in 18 Indian Languages Assamese • Bengali • English • Garo • Gujarati • Hindi • Kannada • Khasi • Konkani • Malayalam • Manipuri • Marathi • Mizo • Odia • Punjabi • Tamil • Telugu • Urdu​ The apps address issues of status of women, the care of pregnant women and children under two, breastfeeding and the importance of a balanced diet, health and simple changes in nutritional care practices that can notably enhance nutrition levels. They reinforce the following key messages: Expecting mothers should get the correct diet and 25% more than usual. Mother’s first milk is the best, do not throw it away, make sure the child gets it. For the first 6 months the child should only be fed mother’s milk and nothing else. When the child enters the 7th month, balance mother’s milk with a nutritious diet.
HealthPhone™ Food & Nutrition Mobile Apps
	Get in 18 Indian Languages Assamese • Bengali • English • Garo • Gujarati • Hindi • Kannada • Khasi • Konkani • Malayalam • Manipuri • Marathi • Mizo • Odia • Punjabi • Tamil • Telugu • Urdu​ These apps reinforce the following key messages: Adequate Complementary Feeding Anaemia: Blood and Iron Deficiency Importance of a Balanced Diet Correct Norms of Infant & Young Child Feeding Importance of Infant and Young Child Nutrition Iodine: The Importance of Iodised Salt Nutrition of the Child Vitamin A Navjaat ki Suraksha Diet During Pregnancy Healthcare during Pregnancy
HealthPhone™ Nutrition Handbook for the Family Mobile Apps
	Get in 11 Indian Languages Bengali • English • Gujarati • Hindi • Kannada • Malayalam • Marathi • Odia • Tamil • Telugu • Urdu​​ These apps reinforce the following key messages: Personal and household hygiene Keeping food safe and clean Foods are very important for the body Iron makes the body strong Vitamin A keeps the body healthy Iodine makes the body function properly Food for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers Feeding babies aged 0-6 months Feeding young children aged over 6 months Feeding school-age children and youth Food and care for older people Feeding sick people Preventing and managing malnutrition
Once installed, all these apps work offline; they do not require a connection to a mobile network. All videos and files are included within the mobile app. Mobile apps developed in partnership with HealthPhone by The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Hyderabad, a research and development organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:                            Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.   Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.   Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.   Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth.   Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their infants.   Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated.   Practice rooming-in - allow mothers and infants to remain together - 24 hours a day.   Encourage breastfeeding on demand.   Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.   Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

IAP HealthPhone

The Lancet Breastfeeding Series - January 28, 2016 With a substantial development of research and findings for breastfeeding over the past three decades, we are now able to expand on the health benefits for both women and children across the globe. The two papers in this Series will describe past and current global trends of breastfeeding, its short and long-term health consequences for the mother and child, the impact of investment in breastfeeding, and the determinants of breastfeeding and the effectiveness of promotion interventions. New Research Shows That Breastfeeding Matters Everywhere and Could Save Millions of Lives and Dollars "Political commitment and investment in breastfeeding by governments, donors, employers and civil society is urgently needed to ensure the health of women and children and to shape a more sustainable future for all. UNICEF and the World Health Organization, in partnership with close to 20 organizations, are leading the charge to mobilize global action to raise political and financial investment to support breastfeeding. Together, we are working to remove barriers to breastfeeding and to give women the tools they need to make informed decisions to ensure their health and the health of their children for generations come." Werner Schultink, Chief of Nutrition at UNICEF Breastfeeding saves lives and it’s time for action

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding videos as a playlist - YouTube

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding video in Marathi

Breastfeeding Channel videos on HealthPhone

HealthPhone™ Essentials: Educational Videos for Basic Health Knowledge in Hindi Early and Exclusive Breastfeeding Hand Washing with Soap and Water Use of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and Zinc Routine Immunization Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breast Crawl

Featured Resources

WHO: Promoting proper feeding for infants and young children

Facts for Life: Breastfeeding - factsforlife.org

Why it is important  •   All key messages  •   Resources

Supporting information for key messages: 1  •   2  •   3  •   4  •   5  •   6  •   7  •   8



The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global effort by UNICEF and the World Health Organization to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. It aims to ensure that all maternities, whether free standing or in a hospital, become centers of breastfeeding support. Hospitals and maternity units set a powerful example for new mothers.

The "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" are the foundation of BFHI and summarize the maternity practices necessary to support breastfeeding. A maternity facility can be designated 'baby-friendly' when it does not accept free or low-cost breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles or teats, and has implemented these 10 specific steps to support successful breastfeeding.

WABA

World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action [WABA]

WABA is a global network of organizations and individuals who believe breastfeeding is the right of all children and mothers and who dedicate themselves to protect, promote and support this right. WABA acts on the Innocenti Declaration and works in liaison with UNICEF.

Breastfeeding Gateway

The Benefits of Breastfeeding - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation