Baby-Friendly USA announced that Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center has received international recognition as a designated Baby-Friendly birth facility. As the only Baby-Friendly medical center in Middlesex county and Central New Jersey, JFK Medical Center sets the standard of care in maternity.
“This designation is an important recognition of JFK Medical Center’s commitment to improving the health of mothers and babies who entrust us with their care. We are grateful to the maternal child health team who led this effort and to everyone who supported them throughout the entire campus and all of our facilities,” said Amie Thornton, chief hospital executive, JFK Medical Center.
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).
The initiative encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. This prestigious international award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
JFK Medical Center’s maternity and family suite upholds the WHO/UNICEF “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” which states that maternity services and care for newborn infants should:
1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their infants.
6. Give infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practice rooming-in — allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them upon discharge from the hospital or birth center.
“Our Mother/Baby team has taken great strides to bring about a culture within the medical center that is not only welcoming for breastfeeding mothers, but also informative and encouraging,” said Paula Lingeman, MBA, BSN, RN, director, Women’s and Children’s Services, JFK Medical Center.
JFK Medical Center is rated in the top 10% of hospitals nationally for clinical excellence in Labor and Delivery, and Obstetric and Gynecology by Healthgrades, the trusted source for hospital quality ratings. They help prepare expectant parents while providing expert and compassionate care to both mother and baby, with a labor and delivery team consisting of obstetricians, anesthesiologists and neonatologists available around the clock.
There are more than 20,000 designated Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide and JFK Medical Center is the only hospital in Middlesex County, New Jersey with this prestigious designation. Currently there are 575 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. The “Baby-Friendly” re-designation is given after a rigorous on-site survey is completed. The award is maintained by continuing to practice the Ten Steps as demonstrated by quality processes.
To learn more, visit JFKMC.org/maternity or call 732-632-1632.
