St Paul's Wing Recognised for Baby Care

06/11/2006

UNICEF UK delivered some good news to midwives at St Paul’s Wing when they visited the unit recently.

They announced that after years of hard work and dedication, the unit has been awarded UNICEF’s coveted Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) for the baby feeding advice they give to new parents.

An official report from the UNICEF BFI committee congratulated staff for significantly improving their performance since the last assessment in January.

“The team has done extremely well” said the BFI assessor, Sally Tedstone. “The assessment demonstrates the high standard of skill the community and hospital midwives possess.”

Divisional Director of Midwifery and Nursing, Vivien Mortimore added
“The results from the assessment are more than we hoped for. Some of the steps we had to pass were an enormous challenge, so the midwives’ hard work has been recognised and has paid off.”

The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative aims to ensure all parents are given the opportunity to make informed decisions about how to feed their babies and supported in their chosen feeding method.

During their visit, the assessors found that the vast majority of expectant parents could name at least two benefits of breast feeding and could explain how best to start breast feeding. In addition all women who had delivered their child, were shown how to position themselves and their child, as well as shown how to ‘latch’ the baby onto the breast. Although healthcare professionals promote breast feeding as the preferred option, parents were quick to stress they didn’t feel pressurised and were given the freedom to make their own minds up.

Breastfeeding coordinator, Elizabeth Mayo, who led the department to success concluded
“This is an amazing achievement which we are delighted with.”

From March 2005 to April 2006, 65% of mums who left St Paul’s Wing or Gloucester’s Orchard Centre chose to feed by breast.

The Orchard Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is currently working towards the UNICEF standard.