Development of Interventions to Support Provincial Implementation of the Baby-Friendly Initiative: A Study Protocol

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Implementation Science
• Maternal and Child Health

Background:

• Breastfeeding is optimal infant nutrition, yet Nova Scotia has low rates.
• The Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) improves breastfeeding outcomes.
• Only two Nova Scotia hospitals have BFI designation, indicating a gap in implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the low breastfeeding rates in Nova Scotia.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) implementation.
• To develop and refine interventions for sustained BFI adoption.

Main Methods:

• Sequential qualitative descriptive design across three phases.
• Phase 1: Semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals and parents, policy document analysis.
• Phase 2 & 3: Intervention development, review by advisory committees and experts, and feedback from partners.

Main Results:

• Study is ongoing; results pending.
• Identification of specific barriers and facilitators to BFI implementation in Nova Scotia.
• Development of tailored interventions for BFI adoption.

Conclusions:

• Implementation science methods will guide sustained BFI integration.
• The study aims to improve breastfeeding support across diverse settings in Nova Scotia.
• Findings will inform strategies to increase BFI designation and improve infant nutrition.