Mandate
To provide a foundation that informs, supports, and makes recommendations to the Minister of Health to meet the goals and objectives of the Baby-Friendly Initiative.
Responsibilities
- Advise the Minister.
- Recommend breastfeeding guidelines, best practices, and protocols to the Minister and the Department of Health for implementation by Regional Health Authorities (RHAs).
- Act as the designated implementation committee for the BFI in New Brunswick.
- Act as the official contact between Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC) and the RHAs, pursuing the Baby-Friendly designation.
- Develop partnerships and collaborative strategies with each RHA and other key stakeholders.
- Provide a framework for a global strategy for the implementation of the BFI in New Brunswick.
- Encourage and support education for health care professionals.
- Promote breastfeeding as the norm for infant feeding.
- Encourage breastfeeding research.
Membership
The membership of the N.B. Baby-Friendly Initiative Steering Committee is comprised of representation from government, the Regional Health Authorities (including hospitals, public health and community health centres) and multisectoral groups with a specific interest in breastfeeding.