Supporting and Promoting Breastfeeding: The 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Abstract

Since the launch of the BFHI (Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative), the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” have been the cornerstone of national and international strategies that protect and promote breastfeeding. The aim of the BFHI has been the optimization of maternity care services by focusing on the adherence of maternity care facilities to good practices to support and protect breastfeeding. Numerous studies have evaluated the impact of the “10 Steps,” employing both observational or intervention study designs, and established higher breastfeeding initiation and longer breastfeeding duration. Nevertheless, suboptimal implementation of the “10 Steps” has been reported in many countries worldwide.