Viewpoint from facilities to communities: Breastfeeding promotion in Baby-Friendly Provinces in Türkiye.

BACKGROUND

While Baby-Friendly Hospital initiatives play a critical role in the initiation of breastfeeding and the prevention of prelacteal feeding, growing evidence highlights the need for context-specific, equitable, and community-based breastfeeding support strategies that extend beyond the early postnatal period.

MAIN BODY: In Türkiye, the scope of baby-friendly practices has progressively expanded from hospital settings to encompass the broader health system and community level. This expansion includes the introduction of the Baby-Friendly Family Medicine Initiative, the Baby-Friendly Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Program, and the Baby-Friendly Province Program, further strengthened by the Golden Baby-Friendly Province Program. Breastfeeding support is delivered as a continuous, system-integrated service across all levels of care, from pregnancy through infancy. Within this framework, World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) and National Breastfeeding Week (1-7 October) serve as intensified, multisectoral campaign periods that enhance visibility, community engagement, and public awareness of ongoing efforts. Within this framework, Baby-Friendly Provinces in Türkiye have moved beyond facility-based education toward innovative, community-oriented, and multisectoral approaches to breastfeeding promotion. These initiatives aim to reach diverse population groups, address social inequities, and foster community ownership of breastfeeding as a shared public health responsibility. The reported activities are organized into six thematic areas, including individualized support for vulnerable populations, community engagement and social inclusion, youth and intergenerational participation, sports-based outreach, environmental sustainability, and visual public messaging.

CONCLUSION

The experience of Baby-Friendly Province initiatives in Türkiye demonstrates how community-based breastfeeding promotion can be operationalized at scale within an institutional framework. This model may offer transferable insights for strengthening breastfeeding support in other country contexts.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.