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Patient education and preparation for successful breastfeeding should occur before and during pregnancy.
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The immediate period after delivery is crucial for breastfeeding success. Time skin-to-skin and early, unrestricted breastfeeding should be strongly promoted.
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The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative's “Ten Steps” are evidence-based measures that birth facilities can employ to improve breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity.
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Breastfeeding can be supported and continued through common
Establishing Successful Breastfeeding in the Newborn Period
Section snippets
Key points
The Decision to Breastfeed
Women make the decision to breastfeed before becoming pregnant, or early in the first trimester—often before their first prenatal visit.7, 8 The influence of the primary care clinician on the decision to breastfeed is strong.9, 10, 11 In a 2001 study of 1229 women, Lu and colleagues10 found that prenatal encouragement to breastfeed was most influential for women from population groups that were least likely to breastfeed. Prenatal encouragement from a physician was associated with a more than
The Importance of Skin-to-Skin Contact
Immediately after delivery, the placement of the newborn skin-to-skin on his or her mother's chest has immense positive effects both on newborn physiologic parameters, and on numerous metrics of breastfeeding success (Fig. 3). In a 2012 systematic review, Moore and colleagues31 demonstrated that skin-to-skin contact in the immediate post-delivery period improves physiologic transition in the newborn, increases the success of the first breastfeed, and leads to more effective breastfeeding. More
Baby-friendly hospitals and the Ten Steps
In 1991, the WHO and UNICEF sponsored the BFHI, based on the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” as a global health initiative to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. The BFHI uses evidence-based interventions to promote breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity by educating hospital staff, reviewing and changing hospital policies, and decreasing the influence of commercial formula in the hospital setting.6
More than 10,000 hospitals world-wide have achieved BFHI
Supporting breastfeeding during medical problems
Although the BFHI Ten Steps work well for term newborns without medical problems, there are common issues in the well nursery that can have detrimental effects on breastfeeding if they are addressed without concern for preserving an exclusive diet of human milk. Three of the most common are hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, and the late preterm infant.
Readiness for going home
Breastfeeding should be assessed and supported during the hospital discharge process, with an array of supports put in place for continued breastfeeding resources and support once the mother and infant are home. A trained staff member should observe at least 1 successful breastfeeding within 8 hours before discharge.111 All breastfeeding issues should have been already attended to during the birth hospitalization, with a follow-up plan in place for unresolved issues. All medical professionals
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Cited by (26)
ABM Clinical Protocol #5: Peripartum Breastfeeding Management for the Healthy Mother and Infant at Term, Revision 2013
2022, Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical ProfessionFactors related to inhibition of lactation by pharmacological means at birth in a Spanish referral hospital (2011-2017)
2022, Gaceta SanitariaCitation Excerpt :Several studies have reported that maternal origin also plays a role in BI.10–12 The prevalence of breastfeeding depends on hospital practices13 and is higher in mothers expressing prenatal and pre-pregnancy intention of breastfeeding14 and in those with a higher perception of self-efficacy.15 The inequalities of BI have been evaluated in high-income countries such as Ireland,5 the Netherlands,9 Croatia,16 Canada,4 Scotland,8 Australia,17 the United States of America6,7 and the United Kingdom.18
Are unmet breastfeeding expectations associated with maternal depressive symptoms?
2015, Academic PediatricsCitation Excerpt :The IFPSII collected information on prenatal breastfeeding expectations and postnatal breastfeeding behavior. Data also addressed maternal demographics and postnatal experiences thought to influence both breastfeeding and PPD, including social support,21,22 time to first breastfeeding attempt,16,22 pain with breastfeeding,23 and early infant health problems.21 We used data from 4 IFPSII time points: the initial demographic screen, prenatal, neonatal, and 2-month surveys.
Unnecessary and necessary in-hospital formula supplementation
2014, Journal of PediatricsColostrum Versus Formula Supplementation for Glucose Stabilization in Newborns of Diabetic Mothers
2013, JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal NursingCitation Excerpt :Postbirth hand expression is performed, regardless of method of delivery, so a breastfeeding baby at risk for hypoglycemia will receive colostrum drops every couple hours in addition to normal breastfeeding efforts. Holmes (2013) recommends that direct breastfeeding be attempted in the first 3 hours after birth for newborns with glucose levels between 28 and 39 mg/dl. If the newborn's latch is ineffective or a repeat measure indicates persistent hypoglycemia, 3 to 10 ml of expressed breast milk should be considered.
Newborn Care and Survival among Jews in Early Modern Poland
2024, Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry