Step 4 - mPINC™ Tool

At a glance

Learn which questions in CDC's Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (PINC) survey align to step 4 in the World Health Organization's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Fillable versions of the tool are available to download at the bottom.

Step 4: Care right after birth

Facilitate immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact, and support mothers to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth.*

Ten Steps Competency1 mPINC Item mPINC Domain mPINC Data Element Ideal Response Hospital Response Did the Hospital Select the Ideal Response?
Immediate skin-to-skin contact after vaginal delivery After vaginal delivery, percent of newborns who remain in uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth. If breastfeeding, until the first breastfeeding is completed. If not breastfeeding, for at least one hour. Immediate Postpartum Care C1_a1/C1_a2 Most to both items
Not ideal: Many, Some, or Few to either item
[Include response] [Yes or no]
Immediate skin-to-skin contact after Cesarean-delivery After Cesarean-delivery, percent of newborns who remain in uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with their mothers as soon as the mother is responsive and alert after birth. If breastfeeding, until the first breastfeeding is completed. If not breastfeeding, for at least one hour. Immediate Postpartum Care C2_a1/C2_a2 Most to both items
Not ideal: Many, Some, or Few to either item
[Include response] [Yes or no]

Note:‎

This tool does not correspond to or replace Baby-Friendly USA's on-site assessments or Baby-Friendly designation.

*This step aligns with step 4 in the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Although this tool assesses many aspects of each of the Ten Steps, it does not assess every aspect. Every aspect of each Step cannot be assessed using mPINC data alone.

Ideal responses are in bold.