World Breastfeeding Week, August 1 -7, was the perfect time to kick off an interdepartmental partnership to earn an elite designation for Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper as a “Baby-Friendly Hospital.”
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that encourages hospitals to offer the best level of care and support for infant feeding and nutrition. Extensive scientific research has shown that babies and mothers reap significant health benefits from breastfeeding whenever possible.
The BFHI includes “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,” which Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper is working to support. From having newborn infants “room in” with their mothers, spending as much time together as possible after birth, to fostering breastfeeding support groups for mothers, these steps help ensure the best health outcomes possible for infants and their mothers – and better overall health for the nation in the future.
Earning the “Baby-Friendly Hospital” designation is a lengthy process, and onlyabout 110 hospitals nationwide have received the distinction. As the committee does its work, look for signs of Cooper’s support for a baby-friendly environment, including establishing new policies, opening pumping rooms for employees, and more.