FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lovelace Women’s Hospital recognized as a Baby-Friendly® hospital
ALBUQUERQUE – December 13, 2017 – Lovelace Women’s Hospital has achieved international recognition as a Baby-Friendly® designated birth facility by 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. Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, this award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
This designation makes Lovelace Women’s Hospital part of an elite group of birthing centers who have aligned practices with the World Health Organization, Unicef and Baby Friendly USA’s evidence-based recommendations, which help to support mothers and babies in living healthier lives.
“As New Mexico’s first and only hospital dedicated to women’s health, Lovelace Women’s Hospital is extremely proud to earn the designation of a Baby Friendly® hospital,” said Sheri Milone, CEO of Lovelace Women’s Hospital. “The criteria for this designation are very challenging and set the standards for the highest quality of care of our mothers and infants. I congratulate our health care providers and staff on meeting the highest levels on achieving such prestigious recognition.”
Dr. Abraham Lichtmacher, Chief of Women’s Services at Lovelace Health System, is very pleased with this achievement and said it “validates our longstanding support of our patients and our breastfeeding practices.”
To learn more about Lovelace Women’s Hospital and its commitment to providing quality and compassionate care, please visit www.lovelace.com.
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Contact: Whitney Marquez, Lovelace Health System Phone: 505.727.5503
Lovelace Health System consists of Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital, Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Lovelace Westside Hospital, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Regional Hospital, and Lovelace Medical Group.