Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and Practices of Nursing Mothers

Breastfeeding is a natural way of feeding to a new born baby. Breast Milk contains natural that a baby needs for first few months of life and it is quickly digested. A number of studies have amply demonstrated the important role that breast feeding plays in child survival. WHO and UNICEF in 1992 launched a Baby Friendly Hospital initiative to strengthen maternity practices to support breast-feedings. The foundations are the Ten Steps to Successful Breast feeding. Currently approximately twenty thousand hospitals worldwide have achieved Baby Friendly Status. We conducted this study to evaluate the role of Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative on feeding and weaning practices of mothers in improving health status of children under five years of age. Our conclusion is Baby Friendly Hospital initiative has a beneficial effect on feeding practices of mothers and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. But some areas of optimal breastfeeding practices are not taken care well especially initiation of breastfeeding within half to one hour of birth needs attention.