FALL RIVER – Charlton Memorial Hospital has been designated as a Baby-Friendly Birth Facility by Baby-Friendly USA Inc.
The distinction is awarded to facilities that offer breastfeeding education before, during and after childbirth, and promote policies such as skin-to-skin bonding with mother and baby immediately after childbirth, as well as keeping mothers and newborns in the same room in preparation for going home.
Charlton, owned by Southcoast Health, joins the network’s other two hospitals, Tobey Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, as designated Baby-Friendly facilities.
Women & Infants Hospital, Kent County Memorial Hospital, Newport Hospital and South County Hospital are also among 569 facilities nationwide to have earned the recognition.
“Baby-Friendly designation is a very special accomplishment that we are all very proud of for many reasons. It is the very best way to treat, educate and support our families,” Jennifer Bloom, nurse manager of the family-centered unit at Charlton, said. “Baby-Friendly USA practices at Southcoast ensure that moms and babies receive the best possible care and promotes their best possible health.”
Earning the distinction was a five-year process, Terri Martin, a registered nurse and lactation consultant at Charlton’s family-centered unit, said.
“The nurses on this unit were really the backbone of our success in obtaining this accreditation. Their dedication to provide continued support to our families was evident during this process,” she said.
Baby-Friendly USA partners with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to support hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
