Early Life Nutrition and Lifelong Health - Derbyshire Local Medical ...

BMA Board of ScienceBox 12: Ten steps to successful breastfeeding1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation if they are separatedfrom their infants6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated7. Practice rooming-in and allow mothers and infants to stay together 24 hours a day8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer others to them ondischarge from the hospital or clinic.Source: www.babyfriendly.org.ukDoctors’ role in supporting breastfeedingIn common with all other health professional groups in the UK, doctors require education toenable them to implement the WHO/UNICEF standards effectively. Paediatricians and obstetriciansrequire an understanding of the role of breastfeeding in improving the health of mothers andbabies. Paediatricians also require an understanding of the normal neonatal adaptation tointermittent feeding after delivery, how poor practice can lead to excessive weight loss in breastfedbabies and how this can be avoided, and how to protect safety and breastfeeding when caring forbabies who are reluctant to feed after delivery or who are jaundiced or at risk of hypoglycaemia. Itis recognised that in the UK hospital doctors are not the primary caregivers for breastfeeding andtherefore it is not considered necessary for their education to include clinical skills in supportingbreastfeeding.The requirement to educate general practitioners (GPs) to implement the breastfeeding policy has beena source of confusion ever since the initiative was launched. GPs in the UK have a limited role insupporting breastfeeding. Their role requires them to have a basic understanding of how breastfeedingworks, a knowledge of how to treat common breast conditions (mastitis, thrush etc), access a reliablereference source for prescribing drugs for breastfeeding mothers and refer mothers to the mostappropriate professional for breastfeeding help and support (particularly when a baby is failing to thrive).Key messageGPs can have a significant effect on whether or not mothers give up breastfeeding whenexperiencing health problems. Baby Friendly programmes show GPs how they can support thecontinuation of breastfeeding in such circumstances.Early life nutrition and lifelong health 59