Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.

2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.

3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.

4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.

5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.

6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.

7. Practise rooming-in – that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.

8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.

9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.

10.Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Source: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Special Role of Maternity Services, a joint WHO/UNICEF statement published by the World Health Organization.

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Thank You For Nursing Your Baby In Public

Ever recieve a note or card thanking you for nursing your baby in public?
Here are a  few going around:

 Texas Department of State Health Services  “License to Breastfeed in Public”

lets get some of these with the Wisconsin Legislation to pass around

and the Breastfeeding Note:

Thank you for nursing your baby in public.
You are not only nourishing your child,
but the hearts and minds of everyone here.
When nursing in U.S. is more
common and understood, the credit will go
to women like you. I thank you on behalf
of my grandmother who had never
heard of breastfeeding. I thank you on behalf of
my mother, who hadn’t a single soul to support her
nurturing instinct. I thank you on behalf of my
daughters and granddaughters, may
they never think twice when their children
thirst. May they never search for a “secluded
corner,” a dressing room, or a restroom. I thank you on
behalf of every woman who ever was
or ever will be. Have a beautiful day.

copyright 1999, Lisa Russell

Breastfeeding Icon

Mothering Magazine held a contest to come up with an international symbol for breastfeeding. Their website states, “The purpose of an international symbol for breastfeeding is to increase public awareness of breastfeeding, to provide an alternative to the use of a baby bottle image to designate baby friendly areas in public, and to mark breastfeeding friendly facilities.”

This is the new symbol which Mothering Magazine is granting the right for everyone to use.

It is similar to the La Leche League logo.

Look for both of these at the next west pm meeting!

more info here:

http://www.mothering.com/sections/action_alerts/iconcontest/icon-winner.html