the earth to secure the best for her baby. However, are mothers aware that the ability to provide the best form of nurture to their children has always lain in their own hands, and is instinctive? This is what Dr Patricia Ip has been trying hard to protect— breastfeeding as a fundamental human right. “Breastfeeding is much more than providing nutrition—it is inherently a form of nurturing exerc...

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding in the first hour after birth is important for the success of breastfeeding and in reducing neonatal mortality. Government policies are being developed in this direction, highlighting the accreditation of hospitals in the Baby-Friendly Hospital (BFH) initiative. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between delivery in a BFH (main exposure), compared to n...

BACKGROUND The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative aims at protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding. Cesarean section is known to represent an obstacle to breastfeeding. In this observational study we compared Baby-Friendly and non-Baby-Friendly hospitals (BFHs and non-BFHs, respectively) in terms of cesarean section rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS Italian BFHs were compared with non-BFH...

OBJECTIVE To provide an update on current practices and policy development status concerning breastfeeding in the WHO European Region. DESIGN National surveys and studies conducted by national health institutions were prioritized. Sub-national data were included where no national data or studies existed. Information on national breastfeeding policies was collected mainly from the WHO Seventh ...

This study examined the effect of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) on the breastfeeding rate in Taiwan and analyzed factors related to BFHI qualification. The assessments included 56 hospitals enlisted for appraisal and 7,563 mothers in the maternity wards of these hospitals. Among the 56 hospitals appraised, 38 (67.9%) passed appraisal. Geographically, 88.5% (23/38) of hospitals ar...