Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville is the Second Hospital in Arkansas to Receive Prestigious International Award

8/5/2016

Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville is the second hospital in the State of Arkansas to receive the prestigious international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility.

Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville quickly followed Willow Creek Women’s Hospital as the second Baby Friendly designated hospital in Arkansas. Having the first and only two hospitals in the state of Arkansas with this designation simply affirms Northwest Health’s commitment to the safest and highest quality care for newborns and moms at both or the Northwest Health hospitals.

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. Currently there are 345 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. The “Baby-Friendly” designation is given after a rigorous on-site survey is completed. The award is maintained by continuing to practice the Ten Steps as demonstrated by quality processes.

For more information about the U.S. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative visit BabyFriendlyUSA.org.

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