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Baby-Friendly Hospital

At Woodland Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center, our practices are designed to help you achieve the best birth for the healthiest baby, and have the most satisfying breastfeeding experience. In fact, we are one of the few hospitals in the nation to be recognized as a Baby Friendly Hospital, a designation recognizing hospitals and birthing centers that offer the highest level of care and breastfeeding services to their patients.

About Our Baby-Friendly Hospital Designation

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was developed by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund in an effort to increase breastfeeding rates and in turn, reduce childhood illness and death. Research shows that by offering breastfeeding services in conjunction with Baby Friendly Hospital practices, we succeed in promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding. Mothers delivering at a Baby Friendly Hospital tend to breastfeed longer than mothers delivering at other hospitals.

Ten Steps To Successful Breastfeeding

To qualify as a Baby Friendly Hospital, we follow a set of ten steps to ensure that all mothers receive excellent breastfeeding services, education, and support from well-trained staff:

  1. Our breastfeeding policy is made known to our staff.

  2. Our staff has the skills and resources necessary to carry out this policy.

  3. Our patients are taught the benefits of breastfeeding as well as how to breastfeed in our prenatal clinic, during their hospital stay, in our postpartum clinic and in support groups.

  4. We help mother and baby breastfeed within the first hour after birth.

  5. We show mother how to maintain lactation when away from her baby.

  6. Breastfeeding babies are not given formula or water unless medically indicated.

  7. Mother and baby stay together in the same room; skin-to-skin bonding is encouraged throughout the hospital stay.

  8. We teach mother how to recognize baby hunger cues. Breastfeeding is important for physical contact and nourishment.

  9. Breastfeeding babies are not given pacifiers or bottles.

  10. Ongoing breastfeeding services and support are available from our resource list, in our prenatal and postpartum lactation clinic and weekly postpartum support group, and by calling our Lactation Services at (530) 669-5420.

Note: As a Baby Friendly Hospital, Woodland Memorial Hospital does not accept free formula or free breast milk substitutes. Parent discharge bags will not contain infant formula, coupons for formula, logos of formula companies or literature with formula company logos.

For more information about our Baby Friendly Hospital designation and all of our breastfeeding services and support, please contact Lactation Services at (530) 669-5420.