2015 MFCI Symposium-Protecting The MotherBaby-Dyad: Innovation in Maternity Care

MFCI Principles and Steps this session refers to are:

 Principles:

• Do No Harm
• Normalcy of Birth

Steps:

This session refers to MFCI Steps 6, 7, 8 & 10:

Step 6:

1. Does not routinely employ practices and procedures that are unsupported by scientific evidence, including but not limited to the following:
   • shaving;
   • enemas;
   • IVs (intravenous drip);
   • withholding nourishment or water;
   • early rupture of membranes*;
   • electronic fetal monitoring;

other interventions are limited as follows:

1.  
   • Has an induction* rate of 10% or less;†
   • Has an episiotomy* rate of 20% or less, with a goal of 5% or less;
   • Has a total cesarean rate of 10% or less in community hospitals, and 15% or less in tertiary care (high-risk) hospitals;
   • Has a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rate of 60% or more with a goal of 75% or more.

Step 7:

Educates staff in non-drug methods of pain relief, and does not promote the use of analgesic or anesthetic drugs not specifically required to correct a complication.

Step 8:

Encourages all mothers and families, including those with sick or premature newborns or infants with congenital problems, to touch, hold, breastfeed, and care for their babies to the extent compatible with their conditions.

Step 10:

Strives to achieve the WHO-UNICEF “Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative” to promote successful breastfeeding:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff;
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy;
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding;
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth;
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants;
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated;
7. Practice rooming in: allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day;
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand;
9. Give no artificial teat or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants;
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from hospitals or clinics

For a description of MFCI principles and steps, go to:  http://wholisticmaternalnewbornhealth.org/cims-mfci-principles-steps/

Conference Themes this session refers to are:

• Promoting Normalcy of Birth and Breastfeeding
• Respectful Treatment in Maternity Care