ANMC receives designation as a Baby-Friendly® Hospital
July 3, 2019
The Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) recently received the prestigious international recognition as a Designated Baby-Friendly birth facility. 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 prestigious international award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
There are more than 20,000 designated Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide and 570 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. ANMC is currently the only facility in the Anchorage area with this designation. This was accomplished by offering breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
Achieving the Baby-Friendly designation is not an easy task. The criteria are challenging, as they are designed to set the standards for the best possible breastfeeding support for mother and infant in the maternity setting, ensuring high-quality care in this critical area of mother/baby care.
“This effort required many meetings, discussions and staff cooperation,” said Lisa Derr, ANMC Family Birthing Services Director. “This journey is not about the destination or simply the designation, but about delivering the best care possible to our families. Please join us in celebrating the victory and know that we could not have done this without you.”
The ANTHC Board of Directors, the executive leadership team and the rest of the staff of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium are proud to congratulate and celebrate our caring and dedicated staff of ANMC who are dedicated to serving our new families.