https://ysph.yale.edu/ysph/bfci/news-rss/?title=Latest%20News&orgId=116233&keywordId=838 A selection of the latest research, academic, and other newsworthy developments at Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly en-us Copyright 2026 Yale School of Medicine Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:53:30 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-train-the-trainers/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-train-the-trainers/ The New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance (NZBA) is responsible for offering Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative(BFHI) and Baby-Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) Train-the-Trainer three-day workshops. Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/sri-lankas-lactation-management-centers-2/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/sri-lankas-lactation-management-centers-2/ Sri Lanka's Lactation Management Centers (LMCs) assist mothers who need breastfeeding support, are funded by the Ministry of Health, and are located in every specialist hospital that provides maternity services and newborn care. Wed, 13 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-diverse-breastfeeding-promotion-campaign/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-diverse-breastfeeding-promotion-campaign/ In 2008, the Government of New Zealand funded the Ministry of Health (MoH) to develop and implement a national breastfeeding promotion campaign based on formative research and designed to target groups with disparately low breastfeeding rates such as Māori and Pacific people. Wed, 13 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/philippines-budgetary-steps-and-setbacks/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/philippines-budgetary-steps-and-setbacks/ A 2004 WHO assessment on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in the Philippines found the country was performing poorly on IYCF health indicators, and thus spurred the development of a IYCF National Plan of Action in 2005 and subsequent IYCF Program. Wed, 13 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/reaching-mothers-via-text/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/reaching-mothers-via-text/ Text4baby is a free text messaging service with national coverage that delivers timely health information messages to mothers to improve the health of their babies both before and after they are born. Mon, 11 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/social-insurance-in-viet-nam-fully-covers-maternity-leave/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/social-insurance-in-viet-nam-fully-covers-maternity-leave/ Viet Nam’s maternity leave is among the longest in Asia– female workers are entitled to 6 months paid maternity leave and entitled to 100% of their salaries funded through compulsory social insurance premiums. Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/malis-maternity-protection/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/malis-maternity-protection/ In 2008, Mali became the first African country to ratify the ILO Maternity Protection Convention 2000 (Convention No. 183), which stipulates a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave. Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/philippines-senator-serves-as-breastfeeding-champion/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/philippines-senator-serves-as-breastfeeding-champion/ Senator Pia Cayetano is an example of a breastfeeding champion who has used her position in the national government to protect, promote, and support Philippine women’s right to breastfeed and defines herself as “a staunch breastfeeding advocate”. Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/public-health-midwives-in-sri-lanka/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/public-health-midwives-in-sri-lanka/ A longitudinal study in Sri Lanka on the effect of training public health midwives on exclusive breastfeeding reported a highly significant increase in the percentage of mothers breastfeeding their infants for 6 months, as well as the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding–all for a relatively low cost. Today, Sri Lanka has one of the top breastfeeding outcomes in the world with 99% of children ever-breastfed and 82% breastfed exclusively in the first six months in 2016. Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/perus-continuous-demographic-and-health-survey/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/perus-continuous-demographic-and-health-survey/ In Peru, the Continuous Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) provides annual data on the initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding under six months, solid foods introduction, and median breastfeeding duration at the national, urban-rural, and departmental (regional) levels of Peru. Mon, 04 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/viet-nam-fortifies-legislation-1/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/viet-nam-fortifies-legislation-1/ In 2006, Viet Nam adopted Decree 21, based on the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and strengthened the legislation in 2014 to limit advertisements of milk products for children over one year of age and for feeding bottles, teats, and dummies. Fri, 01 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/austrias-paid-maternity-leave/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/austrias-paid-maternity-leave/ In 2004, the Austrian government ratified the ILO Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183). Since then, this legislation has been updated many times with the most recent in 2015 stipulating 16 weeks paid maternity leave. Fri, 01 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/swedens-maternity-and-paternity-leave/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/swedens-maternity-and-paternity-leave/ Sweden ranked third in the world for Save the Children’s 15th annual Mother’s Index in 2014 and Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare reported that in 2015, 63% of infants were breastfed at 6 months of age. Fri, 01 Jun 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/indias-infant-milk-substitutes-act-monitoring-and-enforcement/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/indias-infant-milk-substitutes-act-monitoring-and-enforcement/ Suboptimal breastfeeding practices contribute to approximately 12% of deaths among children under five years of age; in India, this contribution is significant as exclusive breastfeeding rates are as low as 35.8% in some Indian states. In 2003, India strengthened their Infant Milk Substitutes (IMS) legislation to ban sponsorship to health care professionals and health organizations by infant formula companies. Violation of the IMS act is a criminal offense and may result in fines and imprisonment. Wed, 30 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/promotion-of-breastfeeding-on-a-large-scale-with-alive-and-thrives-mass-communication-campaign/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/promotion-of-breastfeeding-on-a-large-scale-with-alive-and-thrives-mass-communication-campaign/ From 2009-2014, the Alive & Thrive project used mass communication within Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam to rapidly deliver breastfeeding and complementary feeding messages to families with children under two years of age. Evaluations found that 85% of mothers from the targeted areas reported exposure to a message and 66% of those agreed exclusive breastfeeding was the norm compared to 47% of those not exposed. The rates of exclusive breastfeeding tripled to 57% in Viet Nam, and to more than 80% in Ethiopia and Bangladesh in the program areas. Wed, 30 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-baby-friendly-initiative/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/new-zealands-baby-friendly-initiative/ The New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance (NZBA), established in 1998, is the national authority for the implementation and management of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI). Maternity services are publicly funded through the Ministry of Health, which sets out BFHI accreditation as a mandatory requirement. The efforts of the NZBA and New Zealand government led to an increase in BFHI accreditation of maternity facilities (0% in 2000 to 96.1% in 2011) and exclusive breastfeeding rates at 3 months of age rose from 30.4% in 2000 to 42% in 2011. Wed, 30 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/community-health-workers-in-bangladesh/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/community-health-workers-in-bangladesh/ Community health workers (CHWs) are the primary healthcare providers the community level in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, with the support of Alive & Thrive, has trained and employs over 100,000 CHWs who bridge the gap between the public healthcare system and the community. They receive training in breastfeeding/infant and young child feeding practices. Wed, 30 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/maternal-mortality-data-leads-to-free-maternity-services-nationwide-in-kenya-1/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/maternal-mortality-data-leads-to-free-maternity-services-nationwide-in-kenya-1/ In 2013, Kenya’s Ministry of Health turned to its health information system to investigate the cause of alarmingly high rates of women dying in childbirth. What they found was a problem with access: more than a third of women were giving birth at home without a skilled health provider due to financial and geographic barriers to accessing health facilities. Fri, 25 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/brazils-multi-sectorial-national-breastfeeding-committee/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/brazils-multi-sectorial-national-breastfeeding-committee/ In 2012 Brazil’s National Breastfeeding Committee was reformulated to include representation from multiple sectors including government, universities, and civil organizations. It is a powerful group that uses evidence to strongly advocate for breastfeeding as a government health priority and support the MoH in their decision making. Fri, 25 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/alive-and-thrives-national-advocacy-strategies/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/alive-and-thrives-national-advocacy-strategies/ To reduce childhood nutrition gaps in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam, the Alive & Thrive initiative designed three comprehensive Infant and Young Child Feeding programs with the aim of developing models that could be scaled up globally. Mon, 14 May 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/viet-nams-talking-babies-commercial/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/viet-nams-talking-babies-commercial/ Alive & Thrive’s successful breastfeeding commercials, “Talking Babies,” illustrate the power of mass media and its ability to be used similarly in other countries. Thu, 01 Mar 2018 04:00:00 Z https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/actress-alyssa-milanos-use-of-social-media/ https://ysph.yale.edu/bfci/news-article/actress-alyssa-milanos-use-of-social-media/ Alyssa Milano, a well-known actress in the US, uses social media to promote breastfeeding and break the stigmatization of public breastfeeding, proclaiming herself a “breastfeeding advocate.” Thu, 01 Mar 2018 04:00:00 Z