To support the provision of technical assistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) has grouped member states into regions. The BFHI Network basically follows the same regional structure but may include some subnational entities not recognized by the WHO. This page features the nations whose BFHI Country Coordinator has submitted data on the BFHI and breastfeeding from the European Region. For more information about each country’s data, contact the country directly using the contact email provided under their flag. As more nations from the region submit data, their information will be added to this page.
BFHI Name: ONGKG-Sektion Baby-friendly Hospitals
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://www.ongkg.at/schwerpunkte/baby-friendly-hospitals
Contact email: ongkg@ongkg.at
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 11 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 82,627 | 2021 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 11.2% | 2021 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 97.5% | 2019 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 85.9% | 2019 |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 68.2% | 2019 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 55.5% | 2019 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 64.1% | 2019 |
BFHI Name: BFHI Coordination for Ministry Of Health
BFHI Program Status: In transition
Website URL: https://www.health.belgium.be/nl/borstvoeding-natuurlijk
Contact email: serena.debonnet@health.fgov.be
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 31 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 113,593 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | No data | — |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
BFHI Name: BFHI Croatia
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: None
Contact email: anita.pavicic.bosnjak@gmail.com
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 18 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 33,885 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 98.7% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 97% | 2022 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 88.4% | 2022 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 69% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 52.9% | 2022 |
BFHI Name: Czech Republic
BFHI Program Status: In process
Website URL: https://www.kojeni.cz/events/event/narodni-program-bfhi-cz/
Contact email: anna.mydlilova@ftn.cz
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 66 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 98,000 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 72% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 96% | 2022 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 65% | 2022 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 75% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 75% | 2022 |
BFHI Name: Estonian Breastfeeding Promotion Committee
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: None
Contact email: kmaalinn@gmail.com
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 3 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 11,545 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 60% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 79.5% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 68.5% | 2022 |
BFHI Name: IHAB France
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: www.i-hab.fr
Contact email: kristina.lofgren@i-hab.fr
| Data element | Data | Year |
| # BFHI designated facilities | 69 | 2023 |
| # annual births in country | 677,000 | 2023 |
| % births in BFHI designated facilities | 14.26% | 2023 |
| Breastfeeding initiation rates | 69.7% | 2021 |
| Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 88.9% | 2021 |
| Early initiation of breastfeeding | 69.4% | 2021 |
| Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 55.3% | 2021 |
| Breastfeeding at 6 months | 34.0% | 2021 |
BFHI Name: WHO/UNICEF-Initiative BABYFREUNDLICH (BHFI) e.V.
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: www.babyfreundlich.org
Contact email: info@babyfreundlich.org
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 100 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 738,819 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 20% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
BFHI Name: Institute of Childe Health
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://epilegothilasmo.gr/
Contact email: grammateia-ddsp@ich.gr
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 4 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 76,095 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | No data | — |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 96% | 2017 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 50.8% | 2017 |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 50.8% | 2017 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 65% | 2017 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 48% | 2017 |
BFHI Name: Health Service Executive Baby Friendly Initiative
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/acute-hospitals-division/woman-infants/infant-feeding/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20NWIHP%20established%20the,Ireland%20and%20includes%20services%20users.
Contact email: NWIHP.Corporate@hse.ie
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 57,540 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 63.6% | 2022 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 36.8% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
BFHI Name: Ministry of Health Public Health Division Breastfeeding Committee
BFHI Program Status: In process
Website URL: None
Contact email: Emvayeled@moh.gov.il
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 181,193 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 90% | 2021 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 62.3% | 2019 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 48% | 2021 |
BFHI Name: Italian National Committee for UNICEF
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: www.unicef.it/allattamento
Contact email: allattamento@unicef.it
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 35 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 392,600 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 8.72% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
BFHI Name: Lithuania
BFHI Program Status: Inactive
Website URL: None
Contact email: daiva.sniukaite@gmail.com
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 22,068 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 89.5% | 2021 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 52.64% | 2022 |
BFHI Name: Coordination BFHI Luxembourg
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://www.unicef.lu/luxembourg/bfhi/?_adin=132415900
Contact email: maryse.arendt@pt.lu; bfhi@unicef.lu
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 1 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 6,497 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 14.24% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 90.2% | 2015 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 71.2% | 2015 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 73% | 2021 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 2.6% | 2015 |
BFHI Name: Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet)
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://www.fhi.no/le/amming-og-morsmelk/
Contact email: tine.greve@helsedir.no
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 39 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 52,011 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 95% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 98% | 2019 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 91% | 2017 |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 98% | 2019 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 69% | 2016 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 78% | 2019 |
BFHI Name: Portugal
BFHI Program Status: Inactive
Website URL:
Contact email:
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | No data | — |
# annual births in country | No data | — |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | No data | — |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
BFHI Name: National Committee for Support of Breastfeeding, Family oriented and Developmental Care of Newborns
BFHI Program Status: Does not designate facilities.
Website URL: None
Contact email: None
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 62,700 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 0 | 2023 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 94.6% | 2023 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 55.7% | 2023 |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 40% | 2023 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 32% | 2023 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 67.5% | 2023 |
BFHI Name: IHAN-España
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: www.ihan.es
Contact email: coordinadornacional@ihan.es
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 14 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 329,251 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | No data | — |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 39% | 2017 |
BFHI Name: E-BFHI National Methodological and Monitorin клін Охмаg Center under the NCSH “OKHMATDYT”
BFHI Program Status: Certification of hospitals suspended during the war
Website URL: https://kdm-ldd.org.ua
Contact email: l_romanenko@ukr.net
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | See above | |
# annual births in country | 181,928 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities | 80.8% | 2022 |
Breastfeeding initiation rates | 89.5% | 2023 |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | 94% | 2023 |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | 91% | 2023 |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | 92% | 2023 |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | 55.6% | 2023 |
BFHI Name: UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
BFHI Program Status: Active
Website URL: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/
Contact email: bfi@unicef.org.uk
Data element | Data | Year |
# BFHI designated facilities | 107 | 2023 |
# annual births in country | 673,311 | 2022 |
% births in BFHI designated facilities |
|
|
Breastfeeding initiation rates | No data | — |
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No data | — |
Early initiation of breastfeeding | No data | — |
Exclusively breastfed for the first 2 days | No data | — |
Breastfeeding at 6 months | No data | — |
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