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Baby Friendly hospitals

When you’re giving birth in hospital, you want to feel confident they’ll give you the help and support you need to start breastfeeding. This is where ‘Baby Friendly’ hospitals come in.

Baby Friendly hospitals:

  • are committed to helping mothers start out well breastfeeding
  • have passed an accreditation process
  • have policies and practices in place to support breastfeeding mothers.

New Zealand has been very active in ensuring our maternity facilities offer mother-and-baby-friendly and family/whānau-focused care. As a result, the majority of our maternity hospitals are designated Baby Friendly.

Find out more about the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative on the New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority website, including a list of accredited hospitals.

Ask to see their breastfeeding policy

If you are birthing in a Baby Friendly hospital, you can ask to see their breastfeeding policy (in full or abridged). This will let you know what help and support you can expect from them.

Find out more from the Ministry

Related websites

New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority
The NZ Breastfeeding Authority is contracted to lead the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.


The Baby Friendly Initiative
The Baby Friendly Initiative is lead internationally by Unicef.

Page last updated: 19 April 2012