Press release:
United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) has received prestigious international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility.
Baby-Friendly USA Inc. is the U.S. authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (“BFHI”), a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
There are more than 500 baby-friendly hospitals across the nation. UMMC and Rochester General are the only two recognized hospitals in Western New York.
Earning the designation is a lengthy process that requires years of planning and preparation, followed by an on-site survey that ensures the hospital is practicing the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” UMMC is recognized for providing breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
“It has been a tremendous journey on the path to Baby-Friendly designation and I couldn't be more proud of our team,” said Emily Callari, RN, CLC, EFM-C, who played a key role in the designation process. “The process challenged us to examine policies and procedures and transform maternity and infant feeding care.
"Our facility is now a pillar for breastfeeding support. This designation truly represents UMMC's commitment to providing the best evidence-based care to our community.”
There are numerous health benefits for both mother and child when it comes to breastfeeding. Research shows that babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of asthma, type 2 diabetes, eczema, infections (gastrointestinal, ear and respiratory), obesity and more.
“We aim to ensure every mother is fully informed of the importance of breastfeeding and consistent care is afforded to each of our patients regardless of their feeding preference. As part of the Baby-Friendly initiative, all healthy newborns at UMMC have skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately following delivery and receive ongoing breastfeeding support from a Registered Nurse (RN), International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)”, said Linda Lee Stoiber, RN, BSN, IBCLC.
United Memorial Medical Center is also a recipient of the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NYSPQC) Safe Sleep Project’s Quality Improvement Award. This award was given in recognition of the hard work and dedication to improve safe sleep practices for infants. As a participant in the NYSPQC Safe Sleep Project, UMMC committed to modeling a safe sleep environment and providing caregiver sleep education during birth hospitalization.
These recognitions exemplify United Memorial Medical Center’s focus on fostering the most supportive environment possible for each family, while providing them with exceptional care and a personalized experience that honors their individual needs.
For more information about the U.S. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, visit www.babyfriendlyusa.org and to learn more about the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative visit www.nyspqc.org. For details about UMMC’s Women’s Care and Maternity services, visit RochesterRegional.org.
