Maternity Facilities

Accreditation

Maternity hospitals that seek BFHI accreditation are announcing to mothers and families that they provide outstanding evidence based postnatal care and are committed to ensuring babies receive the best start to life possible. Accreditation is based on the ten steps to successful breastfeeding and the requirements for each step are listed below. The process of accreditation has two main stages. The first stage is identifying staff and mothers who will be part of the accreditation process, training of hospital staff and updating policies and procedural documents.

Once this is complete, and you can check this with the Self-Appraisal Tool, we schedule a time to complete the two-day virtual assessment. The assessment involves interviewing key staff and mothers as well as review of provided documentation. Download the BFHI Handbook for further details. The BFHI team will work with you through the entire process to ensure you are supported to achieve accreditation.

You can apply for accreditation as an individual facility or partner with other facilities within your organisation or within your local health district to receive a discounted multi-facility rate, please contact us for more information. Accreditation is for three years. Complete the application form below to start the process.

Apply for Accreditation

10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Critical Management Procedures

Step 1a: Have a Written Infant Feeding Policy that is Routinely Communicated to Staff and Parents
Step 1b: Comply Fully with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and Relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions
Step 1c: Establish Ongoing Monitoring and Data-Management Systems
Step 2: Ensure that Staff have Sufficient Knowledge, Competence and Skills to Support Breastfeeding

Key Clinical Practices

Step 3: Discuss the Importance and Management of Breastfeeding with Pregnant Women and their Families
Step 4: Facilitate Immediate and Uninterrupted Skin-to-Skin Contact and Support Mothers to Recognise when their Babies are Ready to Breastfeed, Offering Help if Needed
Step 5: Support Mothers to Initiate and Maintain Breastfeeding and Manage Common Difficulties
Step 6: Do Not Provide Breastfed Newborns Any Food or Fluids Other than Breastmilk, Unless Medically Indicated
Step 7: Enable Mothers and their Infants to Remain Together and to Practise Rooming-in 24 Hours a Day.
Step 8: Support Mothers to Recognise and Respond to their Infants’ Cues for Feeding
Step 9: Counsel Mothers on the Use and Risks of Feeding Bottles, Teats and Pacifiers.
Step 10: Coordinate Discharge so that Parents and their Infants Have Timely Access to Ongoing Support and Care