Southcoast Health leaders, providers, nurses and staff gathered to celebrate that Charlton Memorial Hospital has once again received the esteemed Baby-Friendly designation by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital initiative (BFHI) in the United States. The redesignation is the result of a five-year-long assessment journey which began in 2019.

Introduced by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the global program aims to empower health facilities adhere to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

“We are incredibly proud that both Charlton Memorial and St. Luke’s Hospital have earned this prestigious designation ensuring the care provided at Southcoast Health remains entirely Baby-Friendly for the next five years,” said David O. McCready, President and CEO of Southcoast Health. “This recognition reflects our dedication to clinical excellence, and I want to congratulate everyone who helped make this achievement possible.”

Charlton Memorial previously earned the Baby Friendly designation in 2019 and has been recognized for promoting the organization’s recommended evidence-based practices Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and practicing standards such as early bonding care via skin-to-skin contact immediately after childbirth, and keeping babies in their room to help prepare parents for going home.

“Our team takes pride in providing families with the resources and education needed to ensure their baby has a healthy start,” said Kim Pina, MSN, RN, Executive Director of the Family Centered Unit/Level II Nursery at Southcoast Health. “I am so proud of everyone in the Family Centered Unit for their combined efforts, hard work and commitment have been the driving force for this initiative’s success.”

This redesignation keeps Charlton Memorial a part of the growing list of more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the world, 560 of which are in the United States. These facilities provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.

“As a Baby-Friendly designated facility, Charlton Memorial Hospital, is upholding evidence-based standards in supporting families with their newborns,” said Terri Martin, RN, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant at Charlton Memorial Hospital. “From the first touch of skin to skin at birth, and beyond with our Baby Cafés, we empower parents with the tools necessary to achieve their breastfeeding goals.”

Throughout the designation period, hospital leadership will report key statistics annually over the next five years to ensure they are maintaining these requirements.

To learn more about Maternity Services at Southcoast Health, please visit www.southcoast.org/services/maternity-services/.