Baby Friendly
What makes us Baby Friendly?
Hold your baby close & fall in love
Baby will be placed directly on Mom's chest, unclothed, immediately after birth. All routine initial procedures such as weight, measurements & medications are delayed until after baby breastfeeds, or after 1 hour if formula feeding.
Why is skin-to-skin care so important?
With uninterrupted skin to skin contact:
- Baby's heart rhythm, blood glucose & breathing stabilize faster
- Baby stays warmer
- Baby cries less
- Baby breastfeeds better and longer
- Mom & Baby interact better and bond more quickly
- Mom is more confident in recognizing baby's needs
Breastfeed your baby
When babies are breastfed, studies have found that they have:
- Fewer ear infections, respiratory infections, allergies and speech problems, as well as a lowered risk of diarrhea, constipation, asthma & SIDS
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Formula feeding, even just one bottle can carry risks for the newborn:
- Can stretch baby’s tummy, leading to overeating & obesity
- Can lose the protection that breastmilk alone offers
- Can decrease Mom’s milk supply
- Artificial nipples may make it difficult for baby to return to the breast
Keep baby with you
Our Moms and babies are now fully Rooming-In!
All stable, healthy mothers and babies remain together, in Mom’s room, 24 hours a day. All routine care, including examinations, baths, weights and tests are performed in Mom’s room, and parents are encouraged to participate.
- We want you to get to know your new baby and feel confident in caring for the newest member of your family when you return home.
Cuddle Time
Set aside each day from 2-4 pm to allow families quiet time to rest and bond. All routine procedures, rounds & exams by staff are scheduled around this time and extra visitors are discouraged.
What are the other perks of our Baby Friendly Hospital?
- We have specific policies in place to support & protect breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding mothers can call for a follow up lactation visit after discharge for extra support if needed.
- All Maternal-Child staff have received at least 20 hours of breastfeeding training
- We offer FREE prenatal classes every other month to help families prepare for baby
We’ve implemented these changes & received this lofty designation because studies show that we’re building stronger, healthier families for the long run.
Long-term benefits of Baby Friendly practices
Skin to skin contact:
- Promotes exclusive and longer term breastfeeding
- Can reduce stress in mom & baby
- Better mental health and less risk of postpartum depression
- Better growth for baby
- Baby develops better sleep-wake cycles
- Mom & baby interact better as much as 1 year later
Breastfeeding Benefits
For Mom, reduced risk of:
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Heart disease
For Baby:
- Fewer ear infections, allergies, speech problems
- Lowered risk of diarrhea, respiratory infections
- Lowered risk of asthma, SIDS, sleep apnea
- Lowered risk of eczema, multiple sclerosis
- Lowered risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity & leukemia
- Higher IQ
Rooming-In:
- While babies are with their mothers, they cry less, soothe more quickly and spend more time quietly sleeping. Everyone gets more rest!
- Rooming-In makes breastfeeding easier. Babies who room-in with their mothers take in more breastmilk , gain more weight per day and are less likely to develop jaundice.
- Research suggests that rates of child abuse, neglect and abandonment are lower for mothers who have frequent and extended contact with their newborns during the early newborn period.
