Table 2 Main information regarding policies on breastfeeding. Data from Maternity Hospitals with a policy
From: Current hospital policies on breastfeeding: a survey from Italy
Number of hospitals | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
• The policy has been available since 2020 | 4/16 | 25.0% |
• The policy has been developed by a multidisciplinary group | 15/16 | 93.7% |
• The policy is communicated to staff | 14/15 | 93.3% |
• The policy is visible to pregnant women, mothers and their families | 12/15 | 80.0% |
• The policy clearly states that the hospital protects and promotes breastfeeding, being an important health goal for mother, infant, family and society | 15/15 | 100% |
• The policy clearly states that health professionals implement hospital practices and apply clinical protocols recognized to promote and support breastfeeding | 16/16 | 100% |
• The policy openly states that it is responsibility of the Hospital Director to facilitate and support healthcare personnel in implementing hospital practices that promote breastfeeding | 13/15 | 86.7% |
• The implementation of the policy is periodically assessed | 9/15 | 60.0% |
• The policy requires training on breastfeeding of the staff | 15/15 | 100% |
• Training on breastfeeding is provided to staff within 12 months after entering the service | 7//14 | 50.0% |
• The policy regulates the exposure to pregnant women, mothers and their families of products promoting formula feeding | 13/14 | 92.9% |
• The policy states that at discharge from Maternity, milk formula must not be prescribed to mothers, who exclusively breastfeed | 13/14 | 92.9% |
• The policy states that at discharge from Maternity, clinical report must not include a pre-established space for the prescription of milk formulas to mothers, who exclusively breastfeed | 12/14 | 85.7% |