Related Experiment Videos
A Baby-Friendly Hospital initiative in northern China
1Midwifery Research Unit, Hornsby-Ku-ring gai Hospital, NSW, Australia.
Insights
Chinese hospitals are increasing breastfeeding rates to ensure infant health, following guidance from the World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF). A Canadian nursing team collaborated with local staff to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Global Public Health Initiatives
- Pediatric Nursing
Background:
- China's post-one-child policy focus on infant health.
- World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF) recommendations for improved child survival.
- Global efforts to promote optimal infant feeding practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in a Chinese maternity unit.
- To document the collaboration between Canadian and Chinese nursing faculty.
- To assess the integration of WHO/UNICEF guidelines into maternity care.
Main Methods:
- Site visit to an urban hospital maternity unit in Northeast China.
- Observation of maternity care practices and staff training.
- Collaboration with local university nursing faculty for initiative implementation.
Main Results:
- Maternity staff actively worked to incorporate the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
- Canadian nursing faculty provided assistance and expertise.
- Efforts were made to increase breastfeeding rates as part of the initiative.
Conclusions:
- The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a key strategy for improving infant health in China.
- International collaboration can support the adoption of evidence-based maternity care practices.
- Continued efforts are needed to promote and sustain high breastfeeding rates.
Abstract:
In the People's Republic of China, an approach has been adopted to ensure that all children born as a result of the one-child policy are healthy. The World Health Organization/United Nations Children's Fund (WHO/UNICEF) has encouraged the Chinese Government to embrace this philosophy. Part of this approach has resulted in an attempt to increase the breastfeeding rates. This report describes a visit by two nursing faculty members of a Canadian university to an urban hospital maternity unit in the northeast of China, where the staff were attempting to incorporate this philosophy into their maternity care with the assistance of nursing faculty members from the local university. The method chosen to integrate this philosophy was the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative initiated by WHO/UNICEF.