* Practice “rooming in”-- allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
* Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
* Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
VCMC and SPH offer new mothers a comprehensive approach to breastfeeding: knowledgeable and caring staff that use a variety of resources to teach the new mother everything she needs to know to successfully breastfeed her infant.
Breastfeeding provides infants an array of health benefits, including a decreased risk of diarrhea, respiratory and ear infections, and allergic skin disorders. The health benefits associated with breastfeeding directly translates into savings for hospitals.
Bonnie Bouley, an OB-GYN nurse manager at VCMC, has been instrumental in the BHF designation process and said, “The criteria is challenging, as they (WHO and UNICEF) are designed to set the standards for the best possible breastfeeding support for mother and infant in the maternity setting. The process took diligence in collecting the necessary data, but well-worth it maintaining quality of care for our community. This was largely possible due to the ongoing administrative support of Health Care Agency Director Mike Powers, Hospital Administrator Paul Lorenz, and Chief Nursing Executive Cyndie Cole and to all the nurses and physicians who dedicated countless hours to the completion of this project.”
For more information on Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital, please visit our website: www.vchca.org.
