Breast-feeding rates are still declining in many parts of the world. Babies are still separated from their mothers right after delivery and kept in nurseries instead of remaining with their mothers. This practical and universally applicable guide has been synthesized into Ten Steps to Successful Breast-Feeding , which every hospital and maternity service should use to provide newborn babies optimal care and nurturing. The BFHI has captured the imagination and earned the support of politicians and health professionals alike in many countries. Pacifiers are no longer given.
Special counselling is given to mothers whose infants are in intensive care.
Mothers are told where to seek help after discharge, should they need it, through mother support groups. Adoption of the Ten Steps enhances care for all women whether or not they are breast-feeding. If implemented properly, these Ten Steps help mothers make informed choices concerning infant feeding, favour human care during labour and delivery, support mothers after hospital discharge, and protect mothers from incorrect commercial influences. Achievements Since the launching of BFHI in 1991, over 4000 maternity facilities in some 170 countries have been designated Baby-Friendly . The Initiative's progress in other industrialized countries is slower.