An examination of maternity staff attitudes towards implementing Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) accreditation in Australia

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorWalsh, A.
dc.contributor.authorPincombe, J.
dc.contributor.authorHenderson, A.
dc.date.issued2011
dc.descriptionPublished online: 23 June 2010
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) influences health care practices and increases the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Consistent definitions enable the accurate monitoring of breastfeeding rates and behaviour. This information refines policy and helps reach national breastfeeding targets. Only 21% (66/317) of Australian hospitals are BFHI accredited. Objective To examine the factors perceived to promote or hinder BFHI accreditation. METHOD: Focus group interviews explored opinions of 31 participants, in differing roles and levels of employment, across midwifery, medical, nursing and ancillary staff at six South Australian maternity hospitals. RESULTS: The results suggest that staffs’ understanding and personal views are often discordant with BFHI aims. Perceived difficulties include the accreditation process, hospital dynamics, and the Ten Steps implementation plus a bottle feeding culture and maternal employment that impact upon continued breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Upper management support, specific funding, a dedicated co-ordinator with “area leaders”, development of a specific breastfeeding policy incorporating various disciplines and staff, containing detailed protocols that comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions, are all required. Staff and mothers require multiple modes of education to understand the BFHI, including sponsorship for training of lactation consultants. Full implementation of BFHI across Australia will assist the development of nationally accepted breastfeeding definitions, improve monitoring and evaluation of rates and practices, and improve breastfeeding outcomes.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityAva Deborah Walsh, Jan Pincombe and Ann Henderson
dc.identifier.citationMaternal and Child Health Journal, 2011; 15(5):597-609
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10995-010-0628-1
dc.identifier.issn1092-7875
dc.identifier.issn1573-6628
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/63633
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer New York LLC
dc.rights© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0628-1
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectFocus Groups
dc.subjectProgram Evaluation
dc.subjectAttitude of Health Personnel
dc.subjectHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
dc.subjectBreast Feeding
dc.subjectPregnancy
dc.subjectTime Factors
dc.subjectOrganizational Policy
dc.subjectHealth Policy
dc.subjectInfant Welfare
dc.subjectClinical Competence
dc.subjectSocial Marketing
dc.subjectTape Recording
dc.subjectInfant
dc.subjectHealth Promotion
dc.subjectMaternal Health Services
dc.subjectAccreditation
dc.subjectProgram Development
dc.subjectAustralia
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.titleAn examination of maternity staff attitudes towards implementing Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) accreditation in Australia
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

Files

Collections

Nursing publications