Two approaches, one goal: rethinking breastfeeding promotion in maternity hospitals

We compare the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a leader in promoting breastfeeding in maternity hospitals, and the innovative Hospital Policy on Breastfeeding (HPB) Project funded and managed by the Italian Society of Neonatology. The HPB Project's approach can be described as pragmatic in terms of strategy (free of charge for participating facilities), recruitment process (interprofessional rather than top-down), and management. Furthermore, while the HPB Project complies with EU regulations and restricts the prescription of formula to exclusively breastfed newborns discharged from maternity hospitals, it is not bound by strict adherence to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which, although commendable, has so far prevented a wider adoption of the BFHI initiative. The HPB Project could play a supportive role alongside the BFHI initiative, emphasizing the common goal rather than the differences.