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March 16, 2009

Local Birth Center is first facility in Sacramento County to receive Baby-Friendly certification from the World Health Organization and UNICEF!

Sacramento, CA- March 16, 2009, The Birth Center, the only area alternative birth center is the first facility in Sacramento county to receive the Baby-Friendly Certification awarded by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. This certification supports The Birth Center’s dedication to supporting local mothers to make informed decisions about healthcare for themselves and their families.

Although other facilities in the area are working towards certification, The Birth Center was the only facility that was ready for the certification because they already practice the Baby-Friendly Guidelines.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for lactation. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

The BFHI promotes, protects, and supports breastfeeding through The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding for Hospitals, as outlined by UNICEF/WHO. The steps for the United States are:

1 -	Maintain a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2 -	Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3 -	Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4 -	Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
5 -	Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
6 -	Give infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically indicated.
7 -	Practice “rooming in”-- allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
8 -	Encourage unrestricted breastfeeding.
9 -	Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
10 -	Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic

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All information contained in this site is for educational purposes only. Professional listings have not been verified by Better Birth America, we are not liable for any claims arising from services rendered. It is our hope that you will use the information responsibly and take all options into consideration before making decisions for your birth.