Port Hope, ON (October 1, 2023) – The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR District Health Unit) is proud to help the Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) as a chosen group to empower dad and mom and promote optimum toddler feeding practices.

The BFI, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), goals to guard, promote, and help breastfeeding whereas supporting knowledgeable decision-making round toddler feeding for all households.

“Being a BFI-designated organization dedicates commitment to improving maternal and infant health while promoting evidence-based policies and practices,” stated Dorothea Service, Manager, Healthy Families, HKPR District Health Unit.

The BFI encompasses 10 evidence-based steps to advertise toddler and household well being, specializing in making a supportive surroundings for households and infants. This consists of offering schooling and sources, encouraging skin-to-skin contact instantly after delivery, and delivering breastfeeding and knowledgeable decision-making help from expert employees. The initiative emphasizes unique breastfeeding for the primary six months of life, with the introduction of solids at six months whereas persevering with to breastfeed for 2 years and past. Hospitals, birthing centres, and neighborhood organizations that meet the stringent requirements outlined within the BFI are designated as “Baby-Friendly”.

The HKPR District Health Unit is making a big impression on native households via its Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) Program, Nurse Family Partnership Program (NFP), and Feeding Nutrition and Support Clinics supplied on the Health Unit workplace areas in Port Hope, Lindsay, and in Haliburton. Individuals can entry one on one breastfeeding help, counselling on making knowledgeable toddler feeding choices, in addition to obtain vitamin counselling from a Public Health Nurse and/or Registered Dietitian.  To ebook an appointment please go to hkpr.on.ca/HBHC or name 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5003.

“One of the key aspects of the BFI is encouraging informed decision-making, ensuring that families can choose how to feed their babies based on accurate information and support,” stated Pam Stuckless, Director, of Health Promotion, HKPR District Health Unit.

By advocating for greatest practices and empowering dad and mom to make knowledgeable choices about toddler feeding, the BFI ensures that infants obtain the vitamin they want whereas moms and their households obtain the help essential to thrive. The HKPR District Health Unit stays dedicated to the Baby-Friendly Initiative. The empowerment of fogeys and the well being and well-being of infants are on the forefront of those efforts.

For extra details about the HKPR District Health Unit and its dedication to the Baby-Friendly Initiative, please go to hkpr.on.ca/BFI or name the Healthy Families Information and Support Line at 1-866-888-4577, ext. 5003.

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