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Women's Health Services

Baby Friendly

babyfriendly

University Hospital is the only hospital in Utah to be designated “Baby Friendly”

What does this mean?

The “Baby Friendly” Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for lactation.  The BFHI assists hospitals in giving breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

How have we achieved this?

As a “Baby Friendly” facility, University Hospital has taken specific steps to create the best possible environment for successful breastfeeding, which experts believe is the best option for both mom and baby. Since committing to the “Baby Friendly” initiative about four years ago, our Women’s and Children’s staff, nurses, and physicians have dedicated themselves to offering support and resources for families who decide to breastfeed, both in and out of the hospital.

Only 73 hospitals in the nation have this prestigious designation, only 4 of which are Academic Medical Centers.

Our Labor & Delivery staff uses the following guidelines to provide “Baby Friendly” care to our patients.

  1. Maintain a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
  2. Train all health care staff in 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 breast milk, unless medically indicated.
  7. Practice “rooming in “– allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.  For infants who must stay in the late pre-term nursery, we offer “Twilight Rooms” so that mothers can still breastfeed their infants.
  8. Encourage unrestricted feedings.
  9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
  10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

If you have questions regarding our Baby Friendly designation and would like to learn more, please contact us at:

(801) 581-2452

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