What is the Baby-Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI)?

The Baby-Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) aims to support breastfeeding services in the community post-discharge from a maternity facility, and aligns to the BFHI programme in maternity services. This is to encourage mothers to sustain breastfeeding their infants through providing sound evidence-based materials for families and communities to support mothers over the longer term.

NZBA is responsible for managing the accreditation of all community services participating in BFCI and aims to see the restoration of breastfeeding as the cultural norm in Aotearoa New Zealand. All staff and services in BFCI community facilities and organisations must adopt best practice standards for infant and young child feeding, provide factual information, support pregnant women and mothers, and ensure all mothers are provided with unbiased information and advice about infant feeding.

The BFCI is currently on hold in Aotearoa New Zealand.