Prevalence of breastfeeding and birth practices during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic within the Italian Baby-Friendly Hospital network. What have we learned?

Background: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers were faced with difficult decisions about maternity care practices. The evidence-based practices recommended by the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) were confirmed by Italian national guidance.

Aim: To describe, in a number of facilities that are part of a national Baby-Friendly network, the adherence to some steps of BFHI standards during the COVID-19 emergency.