Bend, Redmond hospitals seek ‘baby-friendly’ label

Most people are “baby-friendly,” right? The St. Charles hospitals in Bend and Redmond have spent hundreds of hours over more than three years working to officially be called that, through support and encouragement of breast-feeding mothers.

Being a “Baby-Friendly Hospital” is an international certification — and only 10 percent of U.S. hospitals have earned it. To be awarded the designation, a hospital must take 10 steps to meet the criteria.

“Evidence shows that if you follow those 10 steps, breast-feeding rates are much higher in the communities where they’re practiced,” says Becky McColl, the lead lactation consultant at St. Charles Bend.

The idea is to make sure parents understand what it takes to support breast-feeding.

“Generally, they’re more successful reaching their goals, whether that be one month, two months, six months or two years,” says Nicolle Timm, St. Charles Redmond’s lead lactation consultant.

The Baby-Friendly Hospitals evaluation team plans to visit in February to determine if St. Charles has met all the guidelines to become certified.

Oregon fares better than most. The Centers for Disease Control find that 92 percent of our mothers breast-feed their babies for some time. That’s the second-highest rate in the nation. McColl says between 87 and 92 percent of mothers leave St. Charles breast-feeding.

Hospital officials say they understand that some mothers simply cannot breast-feed. Even so, they want a support system to be in place.

The Mommy and Me Breast-Feeding Support Program is aimed at helping mothers after they leave the hospital. The group meets every Thursday, from 1-3 p.m. at Central Oregon Locavore, 1216 NE First Street in Bend. Come to share stories with other mothers and to ask lactation consultants questions.

To learn more about being “baby-friendly,” visit https://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/