Support for breastfeeding mothers
RHL practical aspects by Pellegrini L, Sguassero Y
FIRST CONTACT (PRIMARY CARE) LEVEL
Breastfeeding support and promotion should be part of routine primary health-care services. Primary health-care workers should be trained in the management of lactating mothers in order to be able to provide appropriate support to breastfeeding mothers.
REFERRAL HOSPITAL (SECONDARY CARE) LEVEL
The provision of adequate individual and systems-based supports, such as the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, is strongly recommended (1). The provision of such services will require skilled health-care workers, trained counselors and certified lactation consultants so that they can help, comfort and reassure lactating mothers and prevent or resolve breastfeeding technique problems.
AT HOME OR IN THE COMMUNITY
Providing home-based and face-to-face support through health-care professionals or lay persons (e.g. volunteers or mothers with previous breastfeeding experience) is a suitable and realistic strategy for supporting lactating women in under-resourced communities.
References
- Evidence for the ten steps to successful breastfeeding. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1998. Available at: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/evidence_ten_step_eng.pdf (accessed 14 February 2008).
This document should be cited as: Pellegrini L, Sguassero Y. Support for breastfeeding mothers: RHL practical aspects (last revised: 24 September 2007) The WHO Reproductive Health Library; Geneva: World Health Organization.