The Baby-Friendly™ Initiative in Saskatchewan.
In 2001 the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan identified the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly™ Initiative as a primary strategy for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding. As such, it has focused its primary goal as implementing the Baby-Friendly™ Initiative in provincial health facilities (hospitals and public health).
In July 2002, the Breastfeeding Initiatives (BFI) Committee was established with the support of Leadership Council (CEO’s of Saskatchewan Health Authorities). The mandate of the Committee is to make recommendations and develop a plan for moving breastfeeding initiatives forward in the province. The BFI Committee is made up of representatives of Saskatchewan health, the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan, and management/policy makers from Health Regions.
Recently, the BFI Committee has released a report entitled "Implementing Breastfeeding Initiatives in Regional Health Authorities in Saskatchewan".
This report provides a framework and implementation strategies for increased promotion of breastfeeding in the Health Regions. The foundation of this framework is implementing the Baby-Friendly™ Initiative in a consistent fashion in the health regions. The report recommends:
- Creating an infrastructure in each health region to support the implementation of BFI.
- Health Regions develop a local implementation plan for the BFI in their region.
- Maintaining a provincial BFI Implementation Committee to oversea the implementation of BFI in Health Regions.
This report has recently received endorsement from the Joint Committee on Community Based Services. Approval from the Joint Committee on Acute and Emergency Services is pending. Both of these committees report to the Leadership Council.
As Saskatchewan moves into the implementation of the BFI strategy, SK Health is planning to continue with the BFI Committee, in collaboration with the Breastfeeding Committee for SK for technical expertise. The primary purpose of the committee will be to obtain and disseminate information of the progress health regions are making in the promotion of breastfeeding and to provide implementation support as required.
The Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan has also developed a complementary strategic plan in which the goal is to focus on implementing the Baby-Friendly™ Initiative in our province. The synergistic and collaborative work of these two committees, along with the local BFI Implementation Committees, will create a Baby-Friendly™ environment for mothers and babies in our province.
Posters
The Breastfeeding Committee of Saskatchewan, with the support of the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program, has produced a poster that introduces the Baby Friendly Initiative to Saskatchewan. These posters will be made available to all Health Regions throughout Saskatchewan, for display in a variety of health facilities.
Mother's Milk, Baby's Choice Brochure
The Breastfeeding Committee of Saskatchewan, with support of the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program has adapted and produced a brochure that was developed by the Saskatoon Health Region and the Mother Baby Breastfeeding Initiative committee.
Mother’s Milk, Baby’s Choice brochures are made available to all Health Regions throughout Saskatchewan, for distribution in a variety of health facilities.
