The Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) is a global program developed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.  It promotes high quality, family-centered care for all birthing parents and their babies, no matter how they choose to feed. 

The goal is to help health care facilities, such as hospitals, health centres and public health offices, provide safe infant feeding support and help families feel confident and connected.

What is the Baby-Friendly Initiative

BFI is based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. It is a set of best practices that health care providers can follow to support parents and babies. These include:

• Giving expectant parents clear, practical information about breast/chest feeding.
• Training care providers to support infant feeding and nutrition.
• Encouraging skin-to-skin contact and keeping parents and babies together after birth.
• Promoting responsive parenting and bonding.
• Supporting safe formula use when breastfeeding is not possible or chosen.

BFI encourages family-centered care during pregnancy, birth, and after delivery. It promotes these Ten Steps across the full spectrum of care, from hospitals to community health centres.

• View the Ten Steps illustration poster

BFI in the NWT

• Inuvik Regional Hospital became the first Baby-Friendly designated hospital in the Arctic, and the most northern in Canada, in December 2018.
• Aurora College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is one of the first in Canada to include BFI infant feeding and family-centered care training. Graduates enter the workforce already prepared to support new families.
• The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) along with the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency and Hay River Health and Social Services Authority is supporting the implementation of BFI and BFI quality improvement across NWT facilities.
• In 2018, DHSS released the report "Learning from Mothers, Grandmothers & Great-Grandmothers About Breastfeeding in the Northwest Territories.” This research helped shape policies and health promotion strategies to improve maternal and infant health. Read the full report.
• In October 2019, Yellowknife hosted the National BFI Symposium. The event, organized by the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, focused on social justice and health equity in BFI.  Over 120 people attended from across the NWT, Canada and the United States.
• From April 2023 to March 2024, all birthing centers in the NWT joined the Coach Mentors program, a national mentorship and training initiative led by the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada. Fort Smith continues to participate.
• The NWT is an active member of the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, contributing to the national Quality Improvement Collaborative. This work helps share best practices improve infant feeding supports across Canada.