A new mum asked me the other day why the hospitals nowadays insist on the mother staying with her baby and discourage the baby from being left at the nursery.
There is a limited sensitive period right after birth where a mum needs and is emotionally open to form a relationship with her baby. During this period, separation may lead to disturbances of the mother-child relationship which can lead to problems later. A friendly environment for childbirth, early and close contact between mother and baby are now recognized as essential features of good delivery and newborn care. This further led to an initiative to encourage this contact.
The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched by WHO and UNICEF in 1991, following the Innocenti Declaration of 1990. The initiative is a global effort to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding which is best for the newborn baby.
This initiative encourages hospitals to
- Help the mother initiate breastfeeding shortly after birth.
- Avoid hospital routines that may interfere with breastfeeding.
- Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
- 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.
