When Chilton Medical Center announced that they earned the prestigious Baby-Friendly® designation, it also marked a milestone for Chilton and for Atlantic Health System.
With the inclusion of Chilton, all Atlantic Health System maternity centers are now designated by Baby-Friendly USA, the only health care system in the state to have all of its maternity centers certified. Of the 11 hospitals certified in New Jersey, four are Atlantic Health System sites.
“I am extremely proud of our maternity center team,” says Stephanie Schwartz, president, Chilton Medical Center. “This designation shows that we are committed to providing the best care to our mothers and babies.” Schwartz also remarked on the collaboration across the system. “We learned so much about the certification process from other Atlantic Health System maternity centers. Thank you to Morristown, Newton and Overlook for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us.”
Baby-Friendly USA is the domestic authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). The BFHI is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund.
The BFHI assists hospitals in giving new mothers the information, confidence, and skills they need to breastfeed or safely feed their babies with formula, and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.
“This designation helps us help our patients,” says Fran Drigun, executive director, Women’s Health, Atlantic Health System. “Baby-Friendly is about helping mothers bond with and breastfeed their babies and about giving our team members the tools and resources they need to support breastfeeding moms. As a Trusted Network of Caring®, it makes sense that all of our maternity centers are able to provide that consistent support.”