SNCH is named ‘Baby Friendly’ hospital by WHO

The World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund and Baby Friendly USA, Inc., have recognized South Nassau Communities Hospital (SNCH) as a Baby Friendly Birth Facility for practicing all 10 steps to successful breastfeeding.

Only two hospitals on Long Island, SNCH and Winthrop have won that designation.

SNCH was honored for offering classes and support that teach the skills, build confidence and provide the information needed to successfully breastfeed.

As part of the program SNCH will establish and maintain a data tracking system that keeps statistics on the so-called ‘Ten Steps’.

Ten mothers and their babies came to SNCH to take part in the ‘Big Latch On’, on Aug. 2, an event started in 2005 by Women’s Health Action, that takes place around the world during World Breast Feeding Week, Aug.1 to Aug.7.

Dr. Sue Penque, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of Patient Care Services unveiled a plaque commemorating the designation. Penque and members of the SNCH staff explained that the hospital, as part of the program, supports new mothers with childbirth and breastfeeding classes, lactation consultants, support groups, even classes to help mothers continue breastfeeding after they go back to work.

Dr. Edmund Tomlinson, vice chair of obstetrics and gynecology and chief of obstetrics said, “There are a lot of benefits to breastfeeding that people don’t realize for both mom and baby; better bonding, reducing childhood obesity, less post partum depression for the mother, less breast cancer and less ovarian cancer risk. In addition infants who are breast fed for the first six months have less infections, less diabetes, pneumonia, Crones disease, gastrointestinal infections and asthma.”

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, herself a breastfeeding mother said she is working to make sure every young New Yorker gets access to breast milk. “On the governor’s desk is a bill that would provide breast milk to every premature baby in New York, no matter the social or economic level,” Solages said. “I am pushing for lactation accommodations in airports, in public buildings.

Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty attended, saying his is as interested in the welfare of babies as anyone. “I think the community at large, certainly government, certainly private business ought to understand the important of breastfeeding for the first year,” he said.

The Ten Steps:

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 hy0ow to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.

Give infants no food or drink other than breast-milk, 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.