The Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI)

This chapter explores the effects of the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) in supporting infant feeding, parent-infant relationship building and impact on long-term public health outcomes. BFI is improving healthcare for babies, mothers and families in the UK as part of a wider global partnership between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF. They provide healthcare services with a roadmap for transforming care for all babies and enable services to support all families with feeding and developing close and loving relationships so that all babies get the best possible start in life. The aim of this chapter is to raise awareness of BFI and its importance as an early intervention, evidence-based programme which promotes healthy development and empowers parents and caregivers to support their child&s;s nutritional and psychological needs. The chapter will delve into the history and impact of BFI in the UK as well as the global Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). Individual roles in ensuring the successful implementation of the BFI standards, including healthcare professionals, educators, policymakers and anyone involved in supporting families during the first 1,001 days from conception will be considered.