Step 5 - mPINC™ Tool

For Everyone

At a glance

Learn which questions in CDC's Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey align to step 5 in the World Health Organization's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Fillable versions of the tool are available to download at the bottom.

Step 5: Support mothers with breastfeeding

Support mothers to initiate and maintain breastfeeding and manage common difficulties.*

Ten Steps Competency1 mPINC Item mPINC Domain mPINC Data Element Ideal Response† Hospital Response Did the Hospital Select the Ideal Response?
Practical support to initiate and maintain breastfeeding and manage common breastfeeding problems Percent of breastfeeding mothers who are taught or shown how to:
  • Position and latch their newborn for breastfeeding.
  • Assess effective breastfeeding by observing their newborn's latch and the presence of audible swallowing.
  • Assess effective breastfeeding by observing their newborn's elimination patterns.
  • Hand express breast milk.
 Feeding Education E2_a2/E2_a3/ E2_a4/E2_a6

Most to all items

Not ideal: Many, Some, or Few to any item

    

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 5 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.

Downloads

mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool Guide
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool Guide
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Download
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool
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Download
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool
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Download
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool Crosswalk
mPINC Ten Steps Assessment Tool Crosswalk
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Download
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Content Source
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
About This Page
Published: October 15, 2024
Updated: August 4, 2026

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: August 4, 2026

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.

  1. World Health Organization. Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and newborn services: implementing the revised Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.