Sustainable Standards - Mother's e-Guide

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Trainers Pack

Sustainability Standard

Guidance on Neonatal Unit

as prescribed by UNICEF

STAGE 1: Build a Firm Foundation

1. Have written policies and guidelines to support the standards.

2. Plan an education programme that will allow staff to implement the standards according to their role.

3. Have processes for implementing, auditing and evaluating the standards.

4. Ensure that there is no promotion of breastmilk substitutes, bottles, teats or dummies in any part of the facility or by any of the staff.

STAGE 2: An Educated Workforce

* Educate staff to implement the standards according to their role and the service provided.

STAGE 3: Parents’ Experiences of Neonatal Units

1.
Support parents to have a close and loving relationship with their baby.

2. Enable babies to receive breastmilk and to breastfeed when possible.

3. Value parents as partners in care.

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for Health Institutions

Every Facility Providing Maternity Services and Care for Newborn and Infants in general should:

Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff
Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth
Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
Give newborns no food or drink other than beast-milk, unless medically indicated.
Practice rooming-in, it allows mothers and infants to remain together -24 hours a day.
Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
Give no artificial teats or pacifier (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.