University Hospital at Downstate Receives Prestigious Baby-Friendly Designation
By Office of the President | Jan 10, 2023
Congratulations to University Hospital at Downstate (UHD) for its recent designation as a Baby-Friendly hospital, the prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation that demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of care for patients and their babies.
These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the critical first days of a newborn’s life.
The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well-documented and widely recognized by health authorities worldwide. The Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding stated, “Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for children.”
According to the Lancet Journal, “Breastfeeding initiation is significantly associated with reduced odds of post-perinatal infant deaths in multiple racial and ethnic groups within the U.S. population. These findings support efforts to improve breastfeeding in infant mortality reduction initiatives.”
UHD, following a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA—the organization responsible for conferring this certification—joins a growing list of more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide, 603 of which are in the United States. All 11 of NYC Health + Hospital Corporation’s acute facilities are BFHI-designated. These Baby-Friendly facilities provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting everyone’s right to make the best decision for themselves and their families.
Congratulations to everyone at UHD who worked to make this critical designation a reality. We are happy to support breastfeeding in a multi-disciplinary way. We thank our colleagues in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Department of Pediatrics, and Family and Community Medicine for their strong leadership.
Equally important, we recognize our team of obstetricians, midwives, nurses, doulas, and other obstetrical providers who assist our patients with breastfeeding in a supportive environment for families.