Chicago, IL – Advocate Trinity Hospital is the first hospital in Chicago to be certified as Baby-Friendly USA, Inc., a designation from the World Health Organization recognizing the highest level of support for breastfeeding mothers and babies. It’s a step forward in addressing the city’s childhood illness and obesity epidemic. Providing infants with human milk gives them the most complete nutrition possible because it provides the best mix of nutrients for each baby to thrive. Scientific studies have shown that breastfed children have far fewer and less serious illnesses than those who never received breast milk, including a reduced risk of SIDS, childhood cancers and diabetes.
“We are pleased to receive this certification that recognizes our efforts to promote breastfeeding and best-practices in mother/baby bonding,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, president at Advocate Trinity Hospital. The health and economic benefits of breastfeeding are significant and we want to do our part to educate our community.”
In honor of the achievement, every baby born at Trinity in 2016 will receive a free onesie.
A global program, Baby Friendly was launched by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund in 1991. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding.
“The City of Chicago congratulates Advocate Trinity Hospital on being recognized as Chicago’s first Baby-Friendly Hospital,” said Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Julie Morita, M.D. “Breast feeding gives infants an advantage that will help them for the rest of their lives. This is one more step forward in our ongoing efforts to improve the health of all infants and children across Chicago.”
Currently just 326 U.S. hospitals and birthing centers in 48 states and the District of Columbia hold the breastfeeding designation, according to Baby Friendly U.S.A., which is the accrediting body for the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.
“Breastfeeding is especially important in communities where support has been traditionally lacking,” said Mary Ann Neumann, advance practice nurse for Women and Infant Services at Advocate Trinity Hospital. “Women who are young, have a lower economic status or are African American have been shown to have a lower breastfeeding rate overall.”
The Baby-Friendly designation, which is granted by Baby-Friendly USA, recognizes Advocate Trinity Hospital’s success at providing an optimal level of support for breastfeeding mothers and babies. The designation was achieved after a rigorous four-phase process culminating with a comprehensive on-site evaluation.
“Ultimately, we are ecstatic to be able to support our system with this initiative and impact numerous of moms throughout the suburban and Chicagoland area,” said Jacquelyn Whitten, chief nursing executive at Advocate Trinity Hospital. “By taking this step, we have provided opportunities to our moms to provide improved maternity care through breast feeding.”
Michele Roe, manager of Women and Infant Services, believes in the Baby Friendly program.
“I am ecstatic with the designation of ATH as a Baby Friendly hospital. It was a great undertaking for our team to embark on this journey that at times seemed daunting. Often our patients have no prenatal care let alone know anything about breastfeeding. They don’t have support from family or friends and some have cultural biases or think negatively about breastfeeding as it relates to body image. With these obstacles, it is an uphill battle just to get them to try,” she said. “Knowing that breastfeeding could be the difference in rates of obesity, diabetes, asthma or other chronic illnesses prevalent in our community we had to put our best efforts forward and we did.”