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The Baby-Friendly journey in a US public hospital

Maya J Vasquez1, Ocean R Berg

  • 1San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. maya.vasquez@sfdph.org

The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
|February 2, 2012
PubMed

Insights

San Francisco General Hospital achieved Baby-Friendly certification by overcoming social and healthcare challenges. This initiative significantly boosted breastfeeding initiation rates from 81% to 98%.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Quality Improvement
  • Maternal-Child Health

Background:

  • San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center (SFGH) faced significant challenges in implementing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).
  • These challenges included a diverse patient population with social issues, high staff turnover, and hospital practices not supporting breastfeeding. Lack of patient education also hindered progress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the implementation process of the BFHI quality improvement program at SFGH.
  • To report on the achievement of Baby-Friendly certification and its impact on breastfeeding rates.

Main Methods:

  • A quality improvement program was implemented over 8 years (1999-2007).
  • The program addressed challenges related to patient social issues, healthcare provider training, hospital practices (rooming-in, skin-to-skin), and patient education.

Main Results:

  • SFGH achieved Baby-Friendly certification in May 2007.
  • Breastfeeding initiation rates increased from 81% (2002) to 98% (2010).
  • Breastfeeding exclusivity rates remained unchanged.

Conclusions:

  • The BFHI implementation at SFGH successfully increased breastfeeding initiation rates.
  • Sustained efforts are crucial for overcoming barriers in diverse patient populations and healthcare settings.
  • Further strategies may be needed to improve breastfeeding exclusivity.

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