Birth Center at O'Connor Hospital
Breastfeeding
TEN STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL BREASTFEEDING
Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:
- Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
- Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
- Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
- Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
- Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their infants.
- Give infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.
- Practice rooming-in–allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
- Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
- Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
- Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or birth center.
The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding form the basis of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a worldwide breastfeeding quality improvement project created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
we are a baby-friendly designated birth center
Birth centers with the Baby-Friendly designation have been verified by a third-party (Baby-Friendly USA) that holds them accountable to the highest standards for family/baby care practices related to infant feeding. Our staff are trained regarding the care of breastfeeding parents and babies. We allow healthy babies and parents to stay together day and night (rooming in) so they have the best chance to get to know each other and can breastfeed as soon as they are ready. Being together gives parents more opportunities to learn about normal baby behavior knowing that knowledgeable staff can answer questions about their baby and breastfeeding. Birth center staff are readily available to talk about what to expect from new babies and help with any concerns.
Baby-Friendly birth centers do not distribute samples from formula manufacturers because this practice is proven to discourage families from providing breastmilk to new babies. Staff will carefully assess a new baby’s feeding so that any early problems can be taken care of quickly and assist with breastfeeding, so parents feel more confident. If breastfeeding worries arise after leaving the birth center, we have designated staff who can help solve feeding problems.
TAKE A TOUR
Please watch our virtual tour of the Birth Center at O'Connor Hospital.