Baby Friendly Community Initiative

Background
In New Zealand the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) is being developed for use in the community by adapting the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). The BFCI is where Primary Healthcare Practitioners in the community adopt practices that aim to protect, promote and support mothers to initiate and continue breastfeeding. At the same time, BFCI Primary Healthcare Practitioners ensure that women who choose not to breastfeed are supported in their decision and provided with unbiased information and advice.

BFCI is based on the "Seven Point Plan" for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in the community (The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada's, The Baby Friendly Initiative in Community Health Services 2002).

Vision
The vision of BFCI is to promote breastfeeding as the cultural norm through the successful implementation of the Baby Friendly Community Initiative.

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