The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently endorsed the WHO/UNICEF 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a significant step forward in the promotion and support of breastfeeding. The AAP has integrated the 10 Steps into its breastfeeding residency curriculum and sample hospital breastfeeding policy for newborns. This endorsement moves the 10 Steps into a category of a community standard, providing the impetus for all birthing hospitals to embrace the 10 Steps as their model for lactation care and services. USLCA believes that it is the IBCLC who will be instrumental in assisting to attain these goals.
IBCLCs may wish to bring this to the attention of their hospital administrators and perinatal practice committees as a means of implementing best breastfeeding practices. Hospitals who implement the 10 Steps will reap higher scores on the mPINC survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and will find that they will be better able to meet the Joint Commission’s core measure for exclusive breast milk feeding upon discharge.
Click Here to read the AAP letter announcing their decision to endorse the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
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