Marin General Hospital Receives Baby-Friendly Designation
Marin General is one of only 414 active Baby-Friendly hospitals in USA
GREENBRAE, CA — Marin General Hospital is proud to announce that it has received prestigious international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility by Baby-Friendly USA.
Marin General Hospital is the 414th hospital in the country to earn the designation out of more than 6,000 hospitals and birthing centers nationally. The Baby-Friendly Designation is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate a high commitment to excellence in breastfeeding education and support by implementing the World Health Organization and United Children's Fund’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding methods.
“Earning Baby-Friendly designation is a great achievement – one that Marin General Hospital is extremely proud of. The Family Birth Center team went through extensive training to learn how best to support new families in infant feeding. Without their hard work and dedication this accomplishment would not have been possible,” said Lee Domanico, Chief Executive Officer, Marin General Hospital.
As part of the Baby-Friendly initiative all healthy newborns at Marin General Hospital are placed immediately skin-to-skin on their mothers at birth. Babies are not interrupted for unnecessary medical procedures as they bond with their mothers and make their first feeding attempts – and they stay with their parents throughout their time in the hospital.
Mother and infant bonding is further promoted by Marin General Hospital’s low rate (17.9%) for low risk, first time cesarean deliveries. This rate is significantly better than the national average which hovers around 30%. This is an important statistic is because it has been proven that there is a link between method of delivery and the successful initiation of breastfeeding. Mothers that have had a cesarean may have a more difficult time feeding their baby during the first day or two after surgery.
Lactation consultants are onsite daily to provide additional teaching and support to parents. Due to its commitment to excellence, 99% of new moms at Marin General Hospital initiate breastfeeding and rates of new moms exclusively breastfeeding during their stay are some of the highest in the state.
About Baby-Friendly USA, Inc.
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.
