We’ve always been baby-friendly – now it's official.
Research shows that breastfeeding is best. That’s why The Hospital of Central Connecticut has joined the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global effort to encourage breastfeeding.
We are Baby Friendly Designated and follow the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for Hospitals, as outlined by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
- Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to staff.
- Train staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
- Inform 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 when separated from their infants.
- Give newborn 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 establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them.
Please join us as we work toward our Baby-Friendly Designation®, and help all children at HOCC get a healthy start. For more information visit www.babyfriendlyusa.org.