PHAC National Guidelines: Release of a New Chapter on Breastfeeding
Photo Credit: Unsplash User Omar Lopez
In Canada, we celebrated National Breastfeeding Week this year from October 1 – 7. For 2018, the theme as chosen by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has been: Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life
This year, in conjunction with National Breastfeeding Week, the Public Health Agency of Canada released “Chapter 6: Breastfeeding” of the Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines.
The Guidelines are dedicated to improving and creating consistency in maternal and newborn health and to inform evidence based practice across Canada. The aim of the guidelines is to positively impact health from preconception to postpartum, and throughout the lifecourse of children, women and families.
The Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines is a resource on maternal and newborn health which includes the latest information and advice from Canadian experts.
The guidelines have a preface and 9 chapters, which are being released once complete.
The current release includes:
Chapter 6: Breastfeeding
Factsheet: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: Canadian Recommendation and the Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding
Infographic: Breastfeeding in Canada
The Canadian Recommendation is: “Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and sustained for up to 2 years or longer with appropriate complementary feedings.”
The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding chart incorporates the 2011 Canadian recommendations and the 2018 WHO/UNICEF recommendations.
PDFs of the chapters and related factsheets/infographics are available online at:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/maternity-newborn-care-guidelines.html
Chapter 1: Family-centred maternity and newborn care in Canada: Underlying philosophy and principles
Chapter 3: Care during pregnancy
Chapter 5: Early postpartum care
Chapter 7: Loss and grief
Chapter 8: Organization of services
Chapter 9: Epilogue
Over the next two years the Public Health Agency of Canada will be releasing the remaining chapters. Notification will be issued as each chapter is released.
If you have any questions about the Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines please contact Lynn Menard at Lynn.Menard2@canada.ca. Please share this information among your colleagues and networks.