SC Ten Steps Program

The SC Ten Steps Program

The SC Breastfeeding Coalition has developed the SC Ten Steps Program to promote and support breastfeeding and ultimately help improve the health of mothers and babies in South Carolina. 

 The goal of the SC Ten Steps Program is to support breastfeeding policies and practices in hospitals and birthing centers statewide.  The SC Ten Steps Program will help hospitals and birthing centers progress towards Baby-Friendly Hospital designation.  The program will also help facilities meet the newly established Joint Commission (Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) perinatal care core measure for exclusive breast milk feeding.

 The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

The SC Ten Steps Program is based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding as outlined by UNICEF-WHO.  The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding highlights the special role of maternity services in promoting and supporting breastfeeding:

 1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.

 2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.

 3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.

 4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.

 5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.

 6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.

 7. Practice “rooming in”– allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.

 8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.

 9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.

 10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Criteria for Recognition

The SC Breastfeeding Coalition would like to recognize facilities promoting and support breastfeeding.  The SC Ten Steps Program is completely voluntary and facilities self-report through online surveys administered annually by the SC Breastfeeding Coalition.  The recognition program is divided into Bronze, Silver, and Gold categories.  Facilities meeting at least 6 of the Ten Steps will be recognized at the Bronze level; 8 of the Ten Steps will be recognized at the Silver level; 10 of the Ten Steps will be recognized at the Gold level. 

 Benefits of Recognition

The SC Ten Steps Program recognition provides many benefits to your facility, all of which indicate your facility is working to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and the health of SC mothers and babies.  The SC Ten Steps Program is also a way to showcase your efforts in providing expert care to breastfeeding women and advertise this commitment in your community. 

 Facilities at the Bronze (6), Silver (8), and Gold (10) levels will receive:

•  A SC Ten Steps Program certificate.
•  A “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” decal to display on entrance doors.
•  Recognition on the SC Breastfeeding Coalition website as a SC Ten Steps Program (with hyperlink to your facility website).
•  Recognition on the Eat Smart, Move More…SC website as a SC Ten Steps Program (with hyperlink to your facility website).

 Facilities at the Silver (8) and Gold (10) levels will also receive:

•  Media coverage at the SC Breastfeeding Coalition annual award ceremony in October.

 Facilities at the Gold (10) level will also receive:

•  A SC Ten Steps Program framed plaque.

 The SC Ten Steps Program and Becoming a Baby-Friendly Hospital

Currently, there are no hospitals in the state recognized as Baby-Friendly.  The SC Breastfeeding Coalition hopes that after facilities receive the SC Ten Steps Program recognition, they will continue to make the necessary changes to implement all Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and complete the 4-D Pathway designation to become a Baby-Friendly Hospital.  Baby-Friendly designation involves completion of phases through the 4-D Pathway (Discovery; Development; Dissemination; Designation).

 Platinum SC Recognition Program

The SC Breastfeeding Coalition will further recognize hospitals successfully completing the Discovery Pathway to Baby-Friendly designation.  (The Discovery Pathway includes register with Baby-Friendly USA; provide CEO support letter; complete self-assessment.)  In addition to the recognition received as part of the SC Ten Steps Program, Gold level facilities completing all10 steps of The SC Ten Steps Program and the Discovery Pathway will be highlighted as a model program success in an article on the home page of the SC Breastfeeding Coalition website.  More formal recognition of the hospital’s efforts will be made at the Coalition’s annual award ceremony in October.