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Background <p>While Baby-Friendly Hospital initiatives play a critical role in the initiation of breastfeeding and the prevention of prelacteal feeding, growing evidence highlights the need for context-specific, equitable, and community-based breastfeeding support strategies that extend beyond the early postnatal period.</p> Main body <p>In Türkiye, the scope of baby-friendly practices has progressively expanded from hospital settings to encompass the broader health system and community level. This expansion includes the introduction of the Baby-Friendly Family Medicine Initiative, the Baby-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Program, and the Baby-Friendly Province Program, further strengthened by the Golden Baby-Friendly Province Program. Breastfeeding support is delivered as a continuous, system-integrated service across all levels of care, from pregnancy through infancy. Within this framework, World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August) and National Breastfeeding Week (1–7 October) serve as intensified, multisectoral campaign periods that enhance visibility, community engagement, and public awareness of ongoing efforts. Within this framework, Baby-Friendly Provinces in Türkiye have moved beyond facility-based education toward innovative, community-oriented, and multisectoral approaches to breastfeeding promotion. These initiatives aim to reach diverse population groups, address social inequities, and foster community ownership of breastfeeding as a shared public health responsibility. The reported activities are organized into six thematic areas, including individualized support for vulnerable populations, community engagement and social inclusion, youth and intergenerational participation, sports-based outreach, environmental sustainability, and visual public messaging.</p> Conclusion <p>The experience of Baby-Friendly Province initiatives in Türkiye demonstrates how community-based breastfeeding promotion can be operationalized at scale within an institutional framework. This model may offer transferable insights for strengthening breastfeeding support in other country contexts.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>

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Viewpoint from facilities to communities: Breastfeeding promotion in Baby-Friendly Provinces in Türkiye

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月23日

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  • Yüksel Hakan Aydoğmuş,
  • Hamide Uyar,
  • Sıddika Songül Yalçın,
  • Hamit Harun Bağcı

摘要

Background

While Baby-Friendly Hospital initiatives play a critical role in the initiation of breastfeeding and the prevention of prelacteal feeding, growing evidence highlights the need for context-specific, equitable, and community-based breastfeeding support strategies that extend beyond the early postnatal period.

Main body

In Türkiye, the scope of baby-friendly practices has progressively expanded from hospital settings to encompass the broader health system and community level. This expansion includes the introduction of the Baby-Friendly Family Medicine Initiative, the Baby-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Program, and the Baby-Friendly Province Program, further strengthened by the Golden Baby-Friendly Province Program. Breastfeeding support is delivered as a continuous, system-integrated service across all levels of care, from pregnancy through infancy. Within this framework, World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August) and National Breastfeeding Week (1–7 October) serve as intensified, multisectoral campaign periods that enhance visibility, community engagement, and public awareness of ongoing efforts. Within this framework, Baby-Friendly Provinces in Türkiye have moved beyond facility-based education toward innovative, community-oriented, and multisectoral approaches to breastfeeding promotion. These initiatives aim to reach diverse population groups, address social inequities, and foster community ownership of breastfeeding as a shared public health responsibility. The reported activities are organized into six thematic areas, including individualized support for vulnerable populations, community engagement and social inclusion, youth and intergenerational participation, sports-based outreach, environmental sustainability, and visual public messaging.

Conclusion

The experience of Baby-Friendly Province initiatives in Türkiye demonstrates how community-based breastfeeding promotion can be operationalized at scale within an institutional framework. This model may offer transferable insights for strengthening breastfeeding support in other country contexts.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.