Mediclinic Baby Friendly Standards

• 0-6 months: Only breastfeeding
• 6 months - 1 year: Breastfeeding and complementary food
• 1 year - 2 years: Complementary food and breastfeeding

Breast milk is the only food your baby needs for the first six months of life. This is called "Exclusive Breastfeeding" which means no water, tea, or any other type of milk or food. At six months, add other foods and continue breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.

• Reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, postpartum depression, and bleeding after delivery.
• Helps mothers lose weight quicker.
• Saves time and money.
• Is always available, clean, and at the right temperature.
• Provides a special and unique bond between mother and baby.

• Breastmilk contains the correct balance of all nutrients babies need in an easily digestible form.
• Provides protection from infections and reduces the risk of sickness.
• Intimacy provided by breastfeeding helps with better brain development.
• Modifies itself as the baby grows to meet changing needs.

Holding your baby on your chest skin-to-skin right after birth for at least an hour will:

• Keep mother and baby calm and relaxed.
• Keep baby warm, stabilise heart rate, and improve breathing.
• Provides a smooth transition to the new environment.
• Makes the baby alert and ready for breastfeeding.

The best time to start breastfeeding is within the first hour after birth whenever the baby is ready and showing hunger cues. Baby receives the first special milk rich in nutrients (colostrum) which is considered the first vaccine for the baby.

Keeping the baby and mother together 24 hours a day will:

• Help them get to know each other, relax and sleep better.
• Allow the mother to learn the baby's feeding cues and respond at the right time.
• Stimulate mother’s body to produce plenty of milk.
• Help parents build skills in taking care of the baby and gain confidence.

We encourage the mother to respond and feed whenever the baby shows feeding cues. Let the baby feed as many times and as long as desired. Start feeding at early signs like opening the mouth, looking for something, or sucking lips or fingers. Crying is a late sign of hunger.

• Mother should be in a comfortable position with back and feet supported.
• Position baby close to mother’s body, facing her breast.
• Keep baby’s head and body aligned, with head slightly back.
• Support baby behind the neck and whole body.
• Bring baby to breast, chin touching breast first, with nipple at top lip.
• When baby’s mouth is wide open, push baby to the breast for a mouthful of breast, not just the nipple.

Mother can express milk by hand or pump. Combining both methods in the first 2-3 days is efficient due to the thickness of the first milk. Expressing milk is needed when:

• Baby is in NICU.
• Challenges with feeding at the breast.
• To relieve engorged breasts.
• To store milk before mother returns to work.
• When mother is not available.

• Wash hands, relax and sit comfortably
• Lean forward and gently massage your breast in front of your baby or a photo of your baby
• Have a clean container with a wide opening for milk collection
• Hold your hand on a “C” shape with your thumb and forefinger right in front of each other about 3cm away from the nipple
• Gently press your thumb and forefinger back towards your chest wall
• Compress the breast by pressing the thumb and forefinger towards each other. Then relax
• Repeat rhythmically: press - compress - relax, press - compress - relax
• Alternate your hands and breasts and move your hand in different angels until milk flow stops

Giving other foods or drinks decreases the baby’s desire to breastfeed, reducing time at the breast and potentially lowering milk supply, which reduces protection against illness. Formula-fed babies are more likely to get chest and ear infections, diarrhoea, constipation, allergies, eczema, diabetes, obesity, and face risks like SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Avoid using pacifiers or feeding bottles with teats in the first month before breastfeeding is established because:

• Baby sucks differently on a bottle than at the breast.
• Babies who use teats may struggle to attach to the breast.
• Using pacifiers may interfere with feeding cues.

• Babies should feed at least eight times in 24 hours, staying an average of 15-30 minutes at the breast each time.
• Baby should be alert, swallow well and come off the breast satisfied.
• Breasts should soften after most feeds.
• Baby should have regular wet and dirty diapers and gain weight steadily after the first two weeks.

Breastfeeding should be comfortable. The main reason for sore nipples is the baby not taking enough of the breast into the mouth from underneath the nipple.

From day three onwards, breasts may become heavier, hard, and painful due to increased milk production. To prevent this, mothers should feed more often or pump for relief before breasts become overfull.